plan 1 of 2

plan

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plan contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plan are design, plot, project, and scheme. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is design a more appropriate choice than plan?

While in some cases nearly identical to plan, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When could plot be used to replace plan?

While the synonyms plot and plan are close in meaning, plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

When is it sensible to use project instead of plan?

In some situations, the words project and plan are roughly equivalent. However, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

Where would scheme be a reasonable alternative to plan?

The synonyms scheme and plan are sometimes interchangeable, but scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

a scheme to defraud the government

Examples of plan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The large-venue bookings function as part of a three-pronged touring plan for Summit, which also includes his intimate Experts Only shows at clubs and festival sets as Everything Always, Summit’s duo project alongside Australian producer Dom Dolla. Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024 Shares of the vaccine maker took a large leg down last month after the company announced plans to slash costs by $1.1 billion . Brian Evans, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
Late in the season, Demi plans a girls’ trip to Las Vegas that includes VIP tickets to Chippendales, which prompts an alarming conflict between the more traditional Jen and her husband, Zac, whom she’s supported through college and is about to fund through medical school. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2024 Choose from an expansive range of 14 colors and patterns, and plan to wrap up a few for holiday and hostess gifts, too. Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for plan 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near plan

Cite this Entry

“Plan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plan. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on plan

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