as in calculating
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as in scheming
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as in planning
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company
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Recent Examples of plotting
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
In this moment, and in this film, the plotting feels queasy and obvious.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Pixels • One promising character disconnected from the plotting so far is Zach Galifianakis as Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne’s who made some untold fortune in the business, but has since turned into a bitter recluse.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
But despite Badio’s behind-the-scenes plotting, John insisted that the former official was not the one in charge of the operation.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
His strategic planning and patience in taking control require proper plotting, which the sea-goat can do when invested in a project.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In its plotting and structure, this often feels less like a series than a two-hour movie that’s been stretched to fill eight 45-minute episodes on the rationale that the latter would be easier to greenlight than the former.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
But the show’s plotting and Niall’s exquisite complexity more than make up for Ruben’s relative flatness.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
By plotting the coefficients of the polynomial as a sort of heat map, the researchers have created striking visuals — an ornate hexagonal QR code for each knot.
—Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Love Thy Nader, the reality series starring tabloid favorite and Baywatch reboot castmember Brooks Nader, is plotting its return.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Ramagem, 53, was supposed to be serving a 16-year prison sentence in his home country for plotting a coup to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after losing the elections in 2022.
—Maria Clara Matos, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
The process is designed to keep a president at the helm, so the president doesn’t have to worry about his own appointees plotting against him, Kalt explained.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Orbán also leaves behind a fiscal mess, which the analyst Dalibor Rohac suggests Orbán might be happy to abandon while plotting his comeback.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
Writing the book was a delight, from research to character development to plotting to drafting.
—Lee Kelly, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
Even the film’s critic-defying, pinky-swearing fanbase may be disappointed in the barebones production, jarring plotting, tired dialogue and ham-handed staging.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
In this moment, and in this film, the plotting feels queasy and obvious.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
Pixels • One promising character disconnected from the plotting so far is Zach Galifianakis as Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne’s who made some untold fortune in the business, but has since turned into a bitter recluse.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
But despite Badio’s behind-the-scenes plotting, John insisted that the former official was not the one in charge of the operation.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
His strategic planning and patience in taking control require proper plotting, which the sea-goat can do when invested in a project.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
In its plotting and structure, this often feels less like a series than a two-hour movie that’s been stretched to fill eight 45-minute episodes on the rationale that the latter would be easier to greenlight than the former.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
After expressing sorrow for having put innocent people in danger by transporting weaponry and plotting to commit an act of violence in a public place, Allen’s letter lays out his list of targets.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
But the show’s plotting and Niall’s exquisite complexity more than make up for Ruben’s relative flatness.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
By plotting the coefficients of the polynomial as a sort of heat map, the researchers have created striking visuals — an ornate hexagonal QR code for each knot.
—Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Love Thy Nader, the reality series starring tabloid favorite and Baywatch reboot castmember Brooks Nader, is plotting its return.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Ramagem, 53, was supposed to be serving a 16-year prison sentence in his home country for plotting a coup to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after losing the elections in 2022.
—Maria Clara Matos, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
The process is designed to keep a president at the helm, so the president doesn’t have to worry about his own appointees plotting against him, Kalt explained.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Orbán also leaves behind a fiscal mess, which the analyst Dalibor Rohac suggests Orbán might be happy to abandon while plotting his comeback.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
Writing the book was a delight, from research to character development to plotting to drafting.
—Lee Kelly, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plotting
Adjective
-
Even Alex becomes too entangled in her students’ dealings and ends up suffering at the hands of one of the more calculating boys.—
Rebekah Frumkin,
Washington Post,
6 Sep. 2019
-
And experts believe that his intuitive style could throw the more calculating Caruana, who has faced time crunches already in this championship, off-balance.—
Joshua Robinson,
WSJ,
27 Nov. 2018
Noun
-
Enter Consuelos’ Maurice, of course, just in time to put a capper on all the scheming and on this show.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
-
When Ashley handed the fake certificate to Josh, his mind was on his own scheming.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An hour before Hitchcock's execution, Texas is planning to put James Broadnax to death for the 2008 double murder of two Christian music producers in the Dallas suburb of Garland.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Countries across the Gulf have arrested scores of people during the war, on charges ranging from posting images of wartime damage, to planning terrorist attacks with Iran.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, our research suggests AI chatbots could easily be used for covert advertising to manipulate their human users.—
Brian Jay Tang,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In a series first, Captain Sig Hansen launches an unprecedented covert scouting mission, deploying an underwater drone into the unknown waters in a bold attempt to locate the rare strain of king crab before the rest of the fleet arrives.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Redesigns, better engines, and improved stealth and aerodynamics culminated in its first catapult launch test in 2021.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The vertical stabilizer has been removed to increase the stealth of the airframe by reducing the radar signature across both high- and low-frequency bands.—
David Szondy
April 21,
New Atlas,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the following 12 days, investigators determined that Lulinski had used his cell phone on multiple occasions to take inappropriate and surreptitious photos or videos of minors during normal school activities.—
CBS Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Remember, this is Augusta National, where the surreptitious use of a cellphone is grounds for immediate banishment.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The April 26, 1986 disaster shone a spotlight on lax safety standards and government secrecy in what was then the Soviet Union.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
By the end of that show, the anxiety and isolation that freight life in the closet had burned away, leaving a happy, hopeful ending in place of familiar narrative disaster; love is found, secrecy is banished, and all is well.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The role of the two CIA agents who were returning from destroying a clandestine drug lab in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua remains unclear.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The role of the two CIA agents, who were returning from destroying a clandestine drug lab in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, remains unclear.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plotting. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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