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Synonyms

schemer

American  
[skee-mer] / ˈski mər /

noun

  1. someone who devises plans or plots, especially underhanded ones.

    She is one of the memorable characters in literature, a born schemer and social climber unencumbered by any need to tell the truth.


Etymology

Origin of schemer

scheme ( def. ) + -er 1


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:

In case you missed it, WSJ’s The Journal podcast produced an amazing episode based on my coverage of the convicted Ponzi schemer Paul Regan’s scam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Misplaced or otherwise, all the best performances from limited series are in supporting this year, including Spaeny’s scene-stealing schemer in “Beef” and Cardellini’s passive-aggressive perfection in “DTF: St. Louis.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Duer was also an inveterate speculator and get-rich-quick schemer: “king of the alley,” as Thomas Jefferson derisively referred External link to Wall Street.

From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026

But Lee’s also a schemer whose griminess is his superpower.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2025

“The old schemer was hiding in the woods. I flushed him out of the bushes like a hound flushes out a fox. A merry hunt it was, wouldn’t you say, Eddie, old boy?”

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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