as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
the novel is about an elderly man and his scheming son who is impatient to inherit the family fortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in plotting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in conniving
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the town inspector had schemed to overlook the contractor's code violations in exchange for a substantial bribe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scheming
Demetris Nellas, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Jan. 2023
Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy get revenge on two scheming executives.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 23 Dec. 2022
Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026
This is exactly the kind of partisan scheming that a pair of constitutional amendments passed in 2010 were supposed to prevent.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But her scheming soon spirals out of control, leaving her to face the consequences of her actions.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scheming
Adjective
Many viewed him as being manipulated by his scheming mother, dowager Queen Frederica.
—Demetris Nellas, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Jan. 2023
Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy get revenge on two scheming executives.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 23 Dec. 2022
Noun
While Harper is the example of Machiavellian plotting wielded for maximum enjoyment, Potomac’s Gizelle Bryant shows how that same kind of scheming, executed poorly, just amounts to misery for all parties involved.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026
This is exactly the kind of partisan scheming that a pair of constitutional amendments passed in 2010 were supposed to prevent.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Randy’s social life involved a scheming posse of white-supremacist survivalists who wanted to fight the ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government) by, say, forcing IRS agents to walk naked through the woods.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But her scheming soon spirals out of control, leaving her to face the consequences of her actions.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scheming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheming
Adjective
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Goldsworthy has made cunning edits of the landscape throughout Penpont.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps most perceptively captivating is the sweetly cunning way Marczak inserts himself into the film.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Not a single critic of the book was struck by the incongruity of this failure in basic thriller plotting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
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But this is a romance show, and most of its recurring conflicts are romantic, so the rest of Bridgerton’s plotting has to be fairly frictionless to ensure that its depictions of love and lust are as dramatic as possible.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Puppy Bowl isn’t just cute — it’s built around adoption, heart and moments that matter beyond Super Bowl Sunday.—
Kelsey Monstrola,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
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Don’t be shy when playing around with colors, patterns, and cute Galentine’s motifs.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The goal is to build thousands of these missiles, allowing commanders to overwhelm enemy air defenses through sheer volume rather than just stealth.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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When Azalea came out of stealth this past November with $82 million in total funding, Yosemite was a key investor.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Those videos, especially in the case of Alex Pretti’s shooting, drowned out both the slop and slick government productions.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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Tailors the engine torque and transmission shift patterns to reduce wheel spin on icy or slick roads.—
Tony Leopardo,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While neither has been accused of wrongdoing, the critics of the secrecy contend that potential criminal defendants are being hidden.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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The disclosures come as public trust in the tech industry has eroded over the past decade, amid a growing belief that the wealthy elite have been allowed to operate above the law in a shroud of secrecy.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scheming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scheming. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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