Scheme — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskēm/

Meaning & Definition of Scheme

Scheme (noun)

  1. a plan or program of action; especially, a crafty or secret one
  2. a systematic or organized configuration, design
  3. a concise statement or table, epitome

Scheme (verb)

  1. to form plans; also, plot, intrigue
  2. to form a scheme for

Scheme (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end

    "an e-mail scheme to trick unwary Internet users into disclosing passwords and financial information"

    similar: artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle, knack, play, ploy, ruse, shenanigan, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, sleight of hand
    related: bluff, end run, feint, cheating, chicanery, cozenage, craft, crookery, cunning, deception, dupery, duplicity, fakery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, swindling, trickery, fraud, gaff, hoax, sham, swindle, blind, front, smoke screen

  2. a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends

    "a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter"

    similar: conspiracy, design, intrigue, machination, plot
    related: counterconspiracy, counterplot, frame-up, manipulation, subterfuge, trickery, artifice, contrivance, cover-up, dodge, draft, maneuver, stratagem, trick, cabal, confederacy, ring, game, gimmick, racket, ground plan, program, strategy, system, collusion, complicity, connivance, conniving, conspiration

  3. a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective

    "a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system"

    similar: arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, road map, strategy, system
    related: collusion, conspiracy, plot, contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, counterplan, counterstrategy, means, tactic, technique, way, procedure, protocol, conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s), aim, intent, intention, purpose, diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

Scheme (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: collude, compass, connive, conspire, contrive, intrigue, machinate, plot, put up
    related: counterplot, brew, concoct, cook (up), devise, hatch, engineer, jockey, maneuver, manipulate, design, frame, lay out, map, plan, shape

Related Entry: Scheme (out) (verb)

Scheme (out) is a different word from Scheme. The synonyms below are for scheme (out), not for scheme.

  1. to work out the details of (something) in advance

    "the campaign operatives schemed out a plan for dealing with bombshells about the candidate's past indiscretions"

    similar: arrange, blueprint, budget, calculate, chart, choreograph, design, frame, lay out, map (out), organize, plan, prepare, project, shape, strategize (about)
    related: conspire, contrive, devise, intrigue, machinate, plot, put up, concert, get up, draft, outline, sketch, aim, figure, have on, intend, mean, contemplate, meditate, premeditate

Related Entry: Ponzi scheme (noun)

Ponzi scheme is a different word from Scheme. The synonyms below are for Ponzi scheme, not for scheme.

  1. as in pyramid scheme

    similar: pyramid scheme, cross, fix, racket, rip-off, bunco, con, fiddle (chiefly British), flimflam, fraud, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle, thimblerig, three-card monte, device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, gouging, overcharging, soaking, counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony, sham

Related Entry: Pyramid scheme (noun)

Pyramid scheme is a different word from Scheme. The synonyms below are for pyramid scheme, not for scheme.

  1. as in Ponzi scheme

    similar: Ponzi scheme, cross, fix, racket, rip-off, bunco, con, fiddle (chiefly British), flimflam, fraud, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle, thimblerig, three-card monte, device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, gouging, overcharging, soaking, counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony, sham

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Scheme

The most common words with a similar meaning to Scheme:

artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle, knack, play, ploy, ruse, shenanigan, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile, conspiracy, design, intrigue, machination, plot, arrangement, blueprint, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, project, road map, strategy, system, sleight of hand, collude, compass, connive, conspire

Related Words for Scheme

bluff, end run, feint, cheating, chicanery, cozenage, craft, crookery, cunning, deception, dupery, duplicity, fakery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, swindling, trickery, fraud, gaff, hoax, sham, swindle, blind, front, smoke screen, counterconspiracy, counterplot, frame-up

Word Forms of Scheme

Inflections: schemed, scheming

Derived words: schemer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Scheme

Latin schemat-, schema arrangement, figure, from Greek schēmat-, schēma, from echein to have, hold, be in (such) a condition; akin to Old English sige victory, Sanskrit sahate he prevails

First known use: circa 1595

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Scheme

Words & Phrases Containing Scheme

Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme, rhyme scheme, color scheme, pension scheme, the scheme of things

Frequently Asked Questions about Scheme

What does "Scheme" mean?

"Scheme" means a plan or program of action; especially, a crafty or secret one. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a plan or program of action; especially, a crafty or secret one. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Scheme"?

Other words for "Scheme" include artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick and jig. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Scheme" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Scheme"?

There are 125 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Scheme". Common alternatives include artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle and knack.

How do you use "Scheme" in a sentence?

Examples of "Scheme" in a sentence: "an e-mail scheme to trick unwary Internet users into disclosing passwords and financial information"; "a scheme to kidnap the president's daughter"; "a scheme to upgrade the city's mass transit system".

Is "Scheme" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Scheme" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Scheme" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Scheme" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Scheme"?

"Scheme" is pronounced /ˈskēm/.

What is the origin of the word "Scheme"?

"Scheme" comes from Latin schemat-, schema arrangement, figure, from Greek schēmat-, schēma, from echein to have, hold, be in (such) a condition; akin to Old English sige victory, Sanskrit sahate he prevails. First known use: circa 1595.