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
-
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
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Plaid ministers want to phase the rest of the scheme over time - but until that is spelled out the party will continue to face scrutiny over how it's achieved.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The scheme has also received support from other businesses in the local food industry.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The server maker ended an investigation into an alleged scheme by two employees and a contractor to smuggle Nvidia chips to China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The new scheme will specify confined areas for offenders in plans tailored to them and developed in consultation with victims.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The monochromatic color scheme, the endless circles of the pathways like clockworks.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Amid the rising cost of living, schemes like these have the potential to offset the burden of small costs that can feel increasingly expensive.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
He kicks balls with his left foot, which requires long snappers to make an adjustment and change blocking schemes because most kickers use their right foot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
The results indicate that pollinator-friendly planting schemes may need to consider more than simply providing large numbers of flowers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026
Journalism student Kieran Miller was worried about money, but he compared student bank accounts and chose one that gave him a free 16-25 Railcard, and signed up for student discount schemes.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Few challenges to sentencing schemes, patterns, or results have been brought since McCleskey, for the exercise is plainly futile.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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
Sean McVay schemed against Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio only once as the Rams’ coach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 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
And though I had prayed and figured and thought and schemed, I could not come up with a way to make those numbers look any better.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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
Ms. Aviv writes of a psychotic mother with persecutory delusions who thinks her eldest daughter is in league with a scheming professor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Scenes flesh out a lineup of predatory city characters, from an obsessive building superintendent to a scheming nightclub impresario.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
When “The Traitors” executive producer Mike Cotton and his colleagues brought the first season of Peacock’s reality competition to American audiences, doing so with a cast of unknowns scheming for a six-figure prize seemed risky.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
In the light of morning she convinced herself that her scheming had been a dream.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
