PLOTTING Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

plotting 1 of 3

adjective

as in calculating

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plotting

2 of 3

noun

as in scheming

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Dissimilar Words

plotting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of plot

as in planning

to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends mobsters were caught plotting to take over the company

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of plotting

Noun

But when actually committed to screen, Stuart Fails is painful at nearly every turn, a grim death march through a series of overworn jokes and wall-spaghetti plotting made even less fun with each smugly metafictional turn. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 23 July 2026 In some fuzzy plotting, that negotation will hinge on a duel between the star players of both sides. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 Instead the episode begins with Spike (James Marsters) and Drusilla (Juliet Landau) plotting. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 Battle, conspiracy, plotting, and some new faces in the cast. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 Still, there’s plenty of extraordinary plotting early on, too, that foregrounds the strangeness of the heroes’ journeys. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026 The length exacerbates all the rest of the series' sins, including a lack of emotional depth, gratuitous suffering and violence, long stretches of boring, listless plotting and extraneous characters. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 June 2026 Which was widely panned for its unrealistic plot, laughable dialogue, and inexplicable plotting. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026 Who is murdered, why and Clare’s entanglement in the whole deal unfold over the remainder of the novel, featuring much tighter and more plausible plotting than your average suspense story. — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026

Verb

Germany did not make Forbes’ list of The Best Places To Retire Abroad In 2026, but France and Spain did (my son studied in Spain last year and has been plotting a return). — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the situation at home is such that his wealth is being consumed by the Suitors, who are plotting against his son. — Daniel Mendelsohn, The New York Review of Books, 1 Aug. 2026 Politicos are plotting how to win voters to their slice of the political spectrum. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026 Californian icon Hot Dog on a Stick is plotting a comeback with a new owner, new outlets and new meats on sticks. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 Instead, Clytemnestra has been plotting his murder to avenge Iphigenia’s death. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 When this happens, Telemachus realizes that the beggar is really his father, and the father-son duo reunite in full and begin plotting revenge against the suitors. — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 Among them is Nicolas Georgiou, a cyclist known for plotting rides that form elaborate images on Strava. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 15 July 2026 Sources tell OutKick that Pitaro backed Mark Jones in 2020 when Jones falsely accused police officers of plotting to shoot him. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 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

Definition of calculating

Noun

Season 2, out now, improves upon the first, offering even more land feuds, scheming, family drama, and suspense.

— Barry Levitt, Time, 23 July 2026
The reunion of the pair after their scheming didn't fully go to plan, though, as the arrival of Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who fans last saw in the season 2 finale, threw everything off.

— Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026

Definition of scheming

Verb

The unexpected weekend getaway While planning ahead is crucial during the busy summer months, some of the best memories come from those spur-of-the-moment trips.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Rebuilding global inventories would take about 18 months, even before accounting for new storage facilities that countries are planning as part of their energy security strategies.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of planning

Adjective

Its national intelligence scope will include counterterrorism efforts, national emergency response, and countermeasures against foreign intelligence such as spy activity or covert influence operations.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Now, thermal visibility is extremely useful in countless scenarios, such as rescue operations in smoke or darkness, inspections for identifying faults in infrastructure, covert operations in the dark, security monitoring, and safety.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 July 2026

Definition of covert

Noun

Propulsion, stealth and other features of the vessels The new submarines will be powered by a Rolls-Royce nuclear propulsion system known as Pressurized Water Reactor 3 (PWR3).

— Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
On one, the winning metric is speed; on another, reliability; on a third, stealth; on a fourth, cold starts, and in each case, the leader is the one who set the rules.

— Lucas Giordano, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of stealth

Noun

Even in areas where machines may genuinely make life better, the decisions are being made in secrecy.

— Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
This level of secrecy reflects the strategic importance of the program, which is intended to preserve the United States’ technological advantage in air combat.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026

Definition of secrecy

Adjective

Throughout the previous four years, Russia has, for example, sent drones and clandestine operatives to disrupt European defense production facilities, military bases, and transport infrastructure.

— Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
In the past, drug traffickers approached the community seeking to build a clandestine airstrip inside their territory.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of clandestine

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plotters

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“Plotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plotting. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of plotting

adjective

noun

verb

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