schedule
Americannoun
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schedules
plural
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a plan of procedure, usually written, for a proposed objective, especially with reference to the sequence of and time allotted for each item or operation necessary to its completion.
The schedule allows three weeks for this stage.
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a series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period.
He always has a full schedule.
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a timetable.
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a written or printed statement of details, often in classified or tabular form, especially one forming an appendix or explanatory addition to another document.
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Obsolete. a written paper.
noun
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a plan of procedure for a project, allotting the work to be done and the time for it
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a list of items
a schedule of fixed prices
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a list of times, esp of arrivals and departures; timetable
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a list of tasks to be performed, esp within a set period
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law a list or inventory, usually supplementary to a contract, will, etc
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at the expected or planned time
verb
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to make a schedule of or place in a schedule
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to plan to occur at a certain time
Synonym Usage
See list 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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schedulernoun
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subschedulenoun
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prescheduleverb (used with object)
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schedularadjective
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unscheduledadjective
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well-scheduledadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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schedulesimple
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schedulessimple
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have scheduledperfect
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has scheduledperfect
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am schedulingprogressive
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are schedulingprogressive
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is schedulingprogressive
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have been schedulingperfect progressive
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has been schedulingperfect progressive
Past
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scheduledsimple
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had scheduledperfect
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was schedulingprogressive
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were schedulingprogressive
-
had been schedulingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of schedule
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Late Latin schedula, equivalent to Latin sched(a) “leaf of paper” + -ula noun suffix ( see -ule); replacing Middle English cedule, sedule, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above
Explanation
A schedule is a plan of things to be done and the time when they will be done. It is the thing you write down in your planner. If you're a student, you probably have your class schedule memorized within the first few weeks of school. This noun derives from Middle English sedule "slip of parchment or paper, note," from Late Latin schedula, from scheda "a strip of papyrus," from Greek schida "a splinter of wood." The modern spelling schedule did not become established until the mid 17th century. And the current American pronunciation, patterned on words such as scheme and school, was not in use until the 19th century.
Vocabulary lists containing schedule
Words Whose Pronunciation Has Changed Over Time
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List 3
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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:
"So, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit," he said upon announcing the tour on Thursday.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
A second loss this season for the Ducks or a loss this early in USC’s loaded conference schedule could make either team’s CFP path more difficult moving forward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
He kept this promise until the day he died in 1979, despite a hectic schedule and major pastoral responsibilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
It’s like running things through a couple of times, trying to look them up on different websites and trying to schedule legal appointments with them.
From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2026
“I also might have found a training schedule and started this week.”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The study cited "unique stressors, such as poor habitability, noise and demanding schedules that leave inadequate time for sleep and rest".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
As refiners focused on jet-fuel runs in the spring, airlines announced capacity cuts, trimming their schedules to preserve fuel for their more profitable and popular routes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
The team also compared physical and behavioral characteristics, including coloration, calls, breeding schedules, diet, and feeding behavior.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
The passenger’s full route can be found here, though officials noted the departure and arrival times are estimates, as they reflect train and bus schedules.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Everyone is at breakfast, as required by our schedules.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
She told him she was already scheduled to speak that night.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
Poirier is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 22, police said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
The following day, CNN reporters were removed from a scheduled pool-coverage assignment at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin is scheduled to speak at 8:30 a.m., followed by Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson just after 10 a.m.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
Marco arrives at Mr. Barris’s London office only a few minutes before his scheduled appointment, surprised to find the normally well-ordered space in near bedlam, full of half-packed crates and stacks of boxes.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Yet many clubs prepared in advance by scheduling Football League Trophy fixtures during these three weeks.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
These portals give us unprecedented access to our own medical records, as well as scheduling, communication and bill-payment options, all in one place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Bass had served on LAHSA’s 10-member board since 2023 but stepped down last week, in part citing scheduling issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Was she even telling me the truth about her scheduling snafu?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Now she did the scheduling and administered shots.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
