plan 1 of 2

noun

ˈplan How to pronounce plan (audio)
Definition of plannext
1
as in strategy
a method worked out in advance for achieving some objective there is a contingency plan in the office for handling almost any emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in goal
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish our plan is to finish up by next Friday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plan

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to prepare
to work out the details of (something) in advance we planned the school dance down to the smallest detail

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to intend
to have in mind as a purpose or goal I plan to have a party for my birthday, even if I have to throw it myself

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun plan contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plan are design, plot, project, and scheme. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is design a more appropriate choice than plan?

While in some cases nearly identical to plan, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

When could plot be used to replace plan?

While the synonyms plot and plan are close in meaning, plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

When is it sensible to use project instead of plan?

In some situations, the words project and plan are roughly equivalent. However, project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

Where would scheme be a reasonable alternative to plan?

The synonyms scheme and plan are sometimes interchangeable, but scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

a scheme to defraud the government

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 plan
Noun
An inheritance that was holding the plan up, and never comes, is a crisis with no time left to fix it. — Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Talarico’s plan involves breaking up large healthcare companies, allowing people to shop around for medication and lowering prescription drug prices. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Army plans to pair an autonomous mobility platform with interchangeable munitions pallets, allowing engineers to test different combinations. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 The ministry plans to use attack drones in coordination with long-range missiles for more cost-effective counterstrikes. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plan
  1. strategy
  2. goal
  3. prepare
  4. intend
  5. blueprint
  6. purpose
  7. design
  8. contemplate
Noun
  • That's a step in the right direction as far as we're concerned, because Jim Cramer has been after Nvidia to institute an Apple-style stock repurchase strategy.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Ahead of her Edinburgh appearance, Lyvers talked to THR about her team’s original content strategy, why ambition and characters are key, Sky’s film slate and how important, or not, franchises and star power are.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of strategy
Noun
  • The Sun conjoins Mercury in Virgo and your 10th House of Career, Reputation, Authority, and Public Life, helping your goals become easier to explain.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • With all that success, Dolly never forgot her goal of helping others.
    — Hunter Kelly, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of goal
Verb
  • The e-commerce giant is preparing to launch its Prime Air service in Tracy as part of a broader expansion effort that will bring delivery drones to 500 cities and towns by the end of the year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Many of the dozens missing in its environs were foreign nationals, chiefly Indian or Indian-origin pilgrims who were returning from, or preparing to make, the journey further into Tibet to Mount Kailash, a holy site for Hindus and Buddhists.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of prepare
Verb
  • Sebastian Kim, head of the content business Unit at CJ ENM, said the series had opened a door the company intends to keep pushing through.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The city of Norman sought new funding from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to continue A Better Way, a project intended as an alternative to panhandling.
    — Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of intend
Noun
  • At its core, Vermejo is a conservation laboratory developing the blueprint for rewilding in North America—the tourism element simply helps to fund it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The 13-track project, which later came with accompanying music videos, became the blueprint for Beyoncé's superstar status after her successful debut studio album became the launchpad.
    — Caché McClay, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of blueprint
Noun
  • Anthropic wanted assurance that its technology would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance, and the DOD wanted Anthropic to grant the agency unfettered access to Claude across all lawful purposes.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Thankfully, his reappearance in the show actually has a deeper purpose.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of purpose
Verb
  • Unsurprisingly, the formulas speak the same language, pairing nourishing, botanical-forward ingredients (like sunflower oil and rosemary extract) with lightweight textures designed to hydrate, smooth, and style without piling on the weight.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In the last decade or so, football on every level has implemented rules designed to reduce the type of hits that used to sell the sport, but now would be a penalty or an ejection.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of design
Verb
  • Even in the midst of this global struggle, Roosevelt contemplated the future and envisioned the critical role that a new United Nations might play.
    — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But Williams — who is set to compete with her sister Serena Williams in the Open’s doubles tournament this week — wasn’t ready to contemplate what’s next for her career after that.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of contemplate

Phrases Containing plan

Browse Nearby Words

plaits
plan
plane
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Cite this Entry

“Plan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plan. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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