plan B
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of plan B
First recorded in 1975–80; from the assumption that the original plan is “plan A”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But after she and a colleague were denied raises in 2020, the final setback in a string of frustrations, she started looking for a plan B.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
"There was no plan B, there was no other thing, it was just tunnel vision to win that medal," he says.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
For that reason, you should have a plan A, plan B and plan C, and write down the pros and cons of each one.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026
"If we cannot, I'm thinking about plan B, C and even D. I am an engineer, always planning."
From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025
“I knew it. We were your plan B for this weekend.”
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
