scheme

American  

[skeem] / skim /

noun

1. a plan, design, or program of action to be followed; project.

2. an underhand plot; intrigue.

   Synonyms:

   conspiracy, cabal, stratagem

3. a visionary or impractical project.

4. a body or system of related doctrines, theories, etc..

   a scheme of philosophy.

5. any system of correlated things, parts, etc., or the manner of its arrangement.

   Synonyms:

   schema, pattern

6. a plan, program, or policy officially adopted and followed, as by a government or business.

   The company's pension scheme is very successful.

7. an analytical or tabular statement.

8. a diagram, map, or the like.

9. an astrological diagram of the heavens.

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verb (used with object)

schemed, scheming

1. to devise as a scheme; conspire; plot; contrive.

verb (used without object)

schemed, scheming

1. to lay schemes; devise plans; plot.

scheme British  

/ skiːm /

noun

1. a systematic plan for a course of action

2. a systematic arrangement of correlated parts; system

3. a secret plot

4. a visionary or unrealizable project

5. a chart, diagram, or outline

6. an astrological diagram giving the aspects of celestial bodies at a particular time

7. a plan formally adopted by a commercial enterprise or governmental body, as for pensions, etc

8. an area of housing that is laid out esp by a local authority; estate

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verb

1. (tr) to devise a system for

2. to form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner

scheme Idioms  

1. see best-laid plans (schemes).

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Synonym Usage

See plan. See plot.

Other Word Forms

• outscheme
  verb (used with object)
• schemeless
  adjective
• schemer
  noun
• subscheme
  noun
• underscheme
  noun
• unschemed
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Capita took over the Civil Service Pension Scheme - which has about 1.7 million members - in December last year, after winning the contract in 2023.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

"We can confirm that 259 survivors have entered the process, many of whom have received interim compensation," the Harrods Redress Scheme said in a statement sent to AFP.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

That route, called the Traffic Separation Scheme, established one 2-mile-wide lane for entering and one 2-mile-wide lane for leaving the Persian Gulf, plus a 2-mile-wide buffer zone.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

According to The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, butterflies are in sharp decline, with the white-letter hairstreak species falling by 80% since the survey began in 1973.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Gregory King has given 'A Scheme of the Income and Expense of the several Families in England, calculated for the year 1688.'

From Knowledge is Power: A View of the Productive Forces of Modern Society and the Results of Labor, Capital and Skill. by Knight, Charles

Related Words

• arrangement
• blueprint
• design
• device
• game plan
• pattern
• plan
• program
• project
• proposal
• strategy
• system
• theory