SCHEMING Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

scheming 1 of 3

adjective

ˈskē-miŋ

Definition of scheming

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scheming

2 of 3

noun

as in plotting

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

scheming

3 of 3

verb

present participle of scheme

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

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 scheming

Adjective

The doors that slam, as farcical doors are built to do, open to work spaces, where a good deal of time is spent scheming and counter-scheming. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2025 Many viewed him as being manipulated by his scheming mother, dowager Queen Frederica. — Demetris Nellas, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Jan. 2023

Noun

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 Hatcher — a Pomo shape-shifter who dodges prejudice by passing as Mexican in the novel — is a thorny protagonist, often cunning, scheming and unforgiving. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026

Verb

There are moments where Lucky uses her scheming ways to her advantage and fabricating identities as a means of survival. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Ten years on, after devising the victorious Trojan Horse gambit, Ulysses attempts to return to Ithaca and the pining Penelope, whose palace has been overrun with scheming suitors seeking her hand. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for scheming

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scheming

Adjective

Supporters of the administration view this back and forth as a cunning ploy to buy time for the United States to position itself more advantageously for a confrontation.

— Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Owen is bamboozled by a cunning opportunist, handcuffed, and robbed in his underwear.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of cunning

Noun

John Stewart’s exasperated adieu to his alien abductors doubles as a meta acknowledgement of Episode 2’s exposition-heavy plotting.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Aug. 2026
Setting the film on the Canadian frontier rather than the American sets it apart from its peers, and the more languid pacing and character-driven plotting continue to distinguish it as a mannered classic.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of plotting

Adjective

But don’t let the cute style fool you—this look is super practical, too.

— Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
Continue down Main Street in Catskill to find tons of the cute shops upstate New York is known for, in particular Stay Forever for gifts, Spike’s for records, and Magpie for used books.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cute

Noun

Combined with stealth and an extensive skill tree, these systems encourage players to adapt rather than rely solely on brute force.

— Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
While the previous games were stealth-focused, Sophia is more aggressive and ready to fight her pursuers rather than just running away.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of stealth

Adjective

Paranormal Activity, the play, builds to the sort of slick and grisly finale that would be just right for the end of a cruel horror movie, but that lands awkwardly onstage.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
The government’s YouTube series featuring the transportation secretary is slick, well-made and about the Duffys, not the nation.

— Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of slick

Noun

This hermetic secrecy is how Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen and I recently found ourselves in the bathroom of a suite in the Aman hotel on New York’s Fifth Avenue, brushing our teeth while members of the Dyson public relations team looked on.

— Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
This deal was clearly arrived at in secrecy, with no public debate, and signed under duress.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of secrecy

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

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Synonyms of scheming

adjective

noun

verb

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