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
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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
Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Is this decision driven by her scheming to sabotage her ex’s professorial chances, or a covert desire to reconnect with her former paramour?
—Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Dec. 2025
Dinah, who is getting heartbreakingly good at scheming, takes out a rusted shard of metal from one of the pews and gives it to Sarah, who hands it to Zoë.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scheming
Adjective
Many viewed him as being manipulated by his scheming mother, dowager Queen Frederica.
—Noun
In DaCosta’s film, Hedda’s scheme to stall Lovborg’s comeback is drawn out with more detailed scheming, including implicating Lovborg in a public humiliation of Professor Greenwood (Finbar Lynch), who is responsible for deciding the recipient of the professorship.
—Verb
No opposing offensive coordinator is scheming anything to accommodate a Cowboys defensive player, other than Williams.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheming
Adjective
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Fueled by vengeance and cunning ambition, Ashur rises from betrayal and bloodshed to seize power, gouging out a place for the House of Ashur in a new arena full of violence, desire, and twisted loyalty.—
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The elaborate scheme, masterminded by members of four Mafia families in collusion with celebrity athletes, ensnared unsuspecting victims, bleeding them of over $7 million through cunning deception, prosecutors said in the indictment.—
Noun
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Yet what elevates the show is its focus on gender relations and atoning for the sins of the past, adding layers of depth beyond its lurid plotting and somewhat ridiculousness.—
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In a movie that is both very serious and very funny, Haim’s incognito-mode wig is both part of the plotting and the film’s best sight gag.—
Adjective
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Ariana Grande made a cute face while taking a pic with Steven Spielberg.—
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Jump on the trend early with this cute, hands-free Michael Kors crossbody bag.—
Noun
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Kojima improves the balance of combat, stealth and exploration while telling a more intriguing story as Sam deals with tragedy and finds redemption in his mission.—
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As next-generation wireless communications increasingly focus on the transmission channel, the ability to include sensing, communication, and power harvesting into a single hardware platform is expected to impact fields ranging from the Internet of Things to intelligent stealth.—
Adjective
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The slick material keeps chafing to a minimum during workouts, and the brushed inside is so soft against the skin and helps keep cold air out and your body heat in.—
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Between the melting ice under the court and heavy rain Thursday night in Chicago, condensation created a slick and dangerous playing surface.—
Noun
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Cruz also pressed his Democratic colleagues to join a bipartisan request for the DOJ to turn over the evidentiary basis for the subpoenas, arguing transparency was necessary to assess whether the secrecy orders were justified.—
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For years, Maryland’s sprawling nonprofit sector has operated behind a veil of secrecy that state leaders praise publicly but struggle to explain under scrutiny.—
Cite this Entry
“Scheming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scheming. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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