scenario

American  

[si-nair-ee-oh, -nahr-] / sɪˈnɛər iˌoʊ, -ˈnɑr- /

noun

scenarios plural

1. an outline of the plot of a dramatic work, giving particulars as to the scenes, characters, situations, etc.

2. the outline or the manuscript of a motion picture or television program, giving the action in the order in which it takes place, the description of scenes and characters, etc.

3. an imagined or projected sequence of events, especially any of several detailed plans or possibilities.

   One scenario calls for doubling profits by increasing our advertising, the other by reducing costs.

   Synonyms:

   sketch, concept, plan, scheme

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scenario British  

/ sɪˈnɑːrɪˌəʊ, sɪˈnɑː-, ˈsiːnərɪst /

noun

1. a summary of the plot of a play, etc, including information about its characters, scenes, etc

2. a predicted sequence of events

   let's try another scenario, involving the demise of democracy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• scenarist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scenarios
  plural

Etymology

Origin of scenario

First recorded in 1875–80; from Italian, from Latin scaenārium, scēnārium, noun use of scaenārius, scēnārius “belonging to the stage, theatrical,” from scaen(a), scēn(a) “background, stage, theater” ( see scene) + -ārius -ary

Explanation

A scenario is a specific possibility. To plan on playing with a bunch of bear cubs is a scenario — a dumb one, but still a scenario. When people are wondering what to do, they think of different scenarios. Moving to a big city is one scenario — moving to a tiny town is another. A football team has to plan for many scenarios, like the starting quarterback being injured. The government plans for hundreds of scenarios, such as natural disasters and attacks by terrorists. In literature, a scenario can mean a summing up of what's going on — what the situation is. A scenario is pretty similar to a situation, but a scenario hasn't happened yet and might not happen at all.

Example Sentences

He managed to survive in the shielded void, a life-saving scenario that occasionally unfolds as multistory structures tumble pancake-style, support beams buckle and slabs of concrete crash down.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2026

Good said a series of circumstantial decisions altered her experience of the crash, comparing the sequence of events to a "sliding doors" scenario.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

And when the Bucks chose to send Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat instead, the Celtics’ dream scenario had suddenly curdled into a nightmare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

As for whether humanitarians had the resources to deal with such a scenario, he warned: "Absolutely not. Our system has been depleted from every resource."

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

Then I heard Bronwyn gasp and I looked up, a horror scenario I hadn’t yet imagined taking shape before my eyes.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

Related Words

• plot
• scheme