scheme
Americannoun
-
schemes
plural
-
a plan, design, or program of action to be followed; project.
-
an underhand plot; intrigue.
- Synonyms:
- conspiracy, cabal, stratagem
-
a visionary or impractical project.
-
a body or system of related doctrines, theories, etc..
a scheme of philosophy.
-
any system of correlated things, parts, etc., or the manner of its arrangement.
-
a plan, program, or policy officially adopted and followed, as by a government or business.
The company's pension scheme is very successful.
-
an analytical or tabular statement.
-
a diagram, map, or the like.
-
an astrological diagram of the heavens.
verb (used with object)
-
schemes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
schemed,
past participle, past
-
scheming
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
schemes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
schemed,
past participle, past
-
scheming
present participle
noun
-
a systematic plan for a course of action
-
a systematic arrangement of correlated parts; system
-
a secret plot
-
a visionary or unrealizable project
-
a chart, diagram, or outline
-
an astrological diagram giving the aspects of celestial bodies at a particular time
-
a plan formally adopted by a commercial enterprise or governmental body, as for pensions, etc
-
an area of housing that is laid out esp by a local authority; estate
verb
-
(tr) to devise a system for
-
to form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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schemernoun
-
subschemenoun
-
underschemenoun
-
outschemeverb (used with object)
-
schemelessadjective
-
unschemedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
schemesimple
-
schemessimple
-
have schemedperfect
-
has schemedperfect
-
am schemingprogressive
-
are schemingprogressive
-
is schemingprogressive
-
have been schemingperfect progressive
-
has been schemingperfect progressive
Past
-
schemedsimple
-
had schemedperfect
-
was schemingprogressive
-
were schemingprogressive
-
had been schemingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scheme
First recorded in 1545–55; from Medieval Latin schēma (stem schēmat- ), from Greek schêma “form, figure”
Explanation
A scheme is an elaborate plan or plot. It's going to take a really solid scheme, probably involving teleportation or some sort of temporary cloning, to make an appearance at both parties at once. Scheme comes to us from the Latin word for "figure." And it's still used today to refer to a set of drawings and figures used to map out something. Or maybe you’ve heard people talk about something in the scheme of life." In that case they're talking about something that fits into the bigger picture. But don't forget that schemes often carry a negative connotation — the word brings to mind devious plans and secret plots organized by scheming bad guys.
Vocabulary lists containing scheme
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"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
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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.
See Examples For:
She said the council had previously held popular events offering pre-loved Christmas jumpers and hoped the Halloween scheme would continue in future years.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
No stylists get involved, she says, and no one tells her a color scheme or outfit choice ahead of time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Organisers said the scheme had proved popular, with children trying on costumes and taking part in craft activities.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Part of the scheme allegedly revolved around Elite Model Management, run by John Casablancas, who was a friend of both Epstein’s and Trump’s.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026
For the Federalist leaders in New England were interested in recruiting Burr as part of a larger scheme that aimed at nothing less than the dismemberment of the American republic.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
That distinction becomes especially important in the CD-35 2722 system, where the possible moon is itself massive enough to be considered a planet under some classification schemes.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
Gen. Rob Bonta held dueling news conferences Thursday, with each touting their efforts to crack down on medical providers accused of needless surgical procedures, sham addiction treatment program, bogus hospice care and other alleged schemes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The Goliath Corp., meanwhile, yearns to eliminate Thursday and execute grandiose schemes of literary mischief.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
In 2024, the US Treasury described the China-based Yu as a "linchpin" of North Korea's illicit money-making activities and warned he was "skilled at employing various schemes to avoid detection".
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Dad had dreamed up many dangerous schemes over the years, but this was the first that really shocked me.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
He schemed to get an imported copy seized by customs to trigger a court case over its content.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Afforded extra space by his manager's decision to play Jack Grealish alongside him in a central position, De Bruyne schemed in the way he usually does.
From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2024
His character, who schemed to succeed his ailing father as chief executive of the fictional Waystar Royco media and entertainment conglomerate, earned Strong his first Emmy Award in 2020, as well as two additional nominations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2024
City-states, hoping to win civic glory, sometimes schemed to bribe top athletes to falsely claim that city as their own.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2024
Later that year, he schemed a perfect way out: he applied for a job to teach mathematics, natural sciences, and elementary Greek at the Znaim High School.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Instead of scheming to hack a company, a swarm with as many as 10,000 agents hacked away at math for 88 hours, building on each other’s work—and the work of humans—until they reached a solution.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
It could be argued Tielemans' arrival addresses an issue Manchester United have had since Carrick quit in 2018; the scheming midfielder with an eye for a pass, who can break a defensive line.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Deluded self-mythologizing was at the core of Johnson’s mockumentary series “Nirvanna the Band the Show” and well-regarded movie expansion about two musicians perpetually scheming to perform at Toronto’s Rivoli club.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
And Zendaya’s Athena “turns out to be a vulnerable victim of war, or perhaps a projection of Odysseus’ conscience — not a scheming and bloodthirsty war goddess.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Already Lavender's scheming mind was going over the possibilities that this water-jug job had opened up for her.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
