plan B

Or Plan B

noun

1. a strategy or plan to be implemented if the original one proves impracticable or unsuccessful.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plan B¹

First recorded in 1975–80; from the assumption that the original plan is “plan A”

Example Sentences

During a clip from their rehearsals shown before his first dance of the night, a quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” Irwin said he feared Carson might need to have a Plan B for the challenging choreography.

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In Test cricket, all disciplines require a Plan B. Quite often it feels like England have one method, then nowhere to go if that does not work.

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Maybe in my parents' - obviously they tried to make sure I had a plan B, which is, of course, sensible - but in my head, you know, it was only football.

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Looming behind this strategy is Plan B, a military takeover.

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“That was Plan A. Now we are switching to Plan B,” Penelope explained.

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Related Words

• contingency