scheme
A systematic plan or arrangement for attaining a particular object or putting an idea into effect. It can also refer to a secretive or devious plot to achieve a goal, often used to describe government programs or organizational systems.
Examples
3 of 5The local council has introduced a new recycling scheme for garden waste.
The local council has introduced a new recycling plan for garden waste.
The proposed scheme for urban redevelopment will require significant private investment.
The proposed plan for urban redevelopment will require significant private investment.
I wonder what kind of scheme he's cooked up this time to get out of work.
I wonder what kind of plan he has created this time to avoid working.
Antonyms
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of a 'schematic' diagram. Just as a schematic shows how parts of a machine fit together, a 'scheme' is the structural plan of how a system works.
Quick Quiz
The interior designer suggested a blue and silver _____ for the master bedroom.
Correct!
The correct answer is: scheme
Examples
The local council has introduced a new recycling scheme for garden waste.
everydayThe local council has introduced a new recycling plan for garden waste.
The proposed scheme for urban redevelopment will require significant private investment.
formalThe proposed plan for urban redevelopment will require significant private investment.
I wonder what kind of scheme he's cooked up this time to get out of work.
informalI wonder what kind of plan he has created this time to avoid working.
The classification scheme used in this study is based on recent genetic findings.
academicThe classification system used in this study is based on recent genetic findings.
Employees are encouraged to join the company's contributory pension scheme.
businessEmployees are encouraged to join the company's contributory pension plan.
Antonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
in the grand scheme of things
considering everything in a broad context
pyramid scheme
a fraudulent investment scam
rhyme scheme
the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of lines of a poem
Often Confused With
A plan is a general neutral term, whereas 'scheme' can imply a large-scale official system (UK) or a dishonest plot (US).
A sketch is a rough drawing or outline, while a scheme is a detailed system or organized method.
Usage Notes
In British English, 'scheme' is a very common and neutral word for a government or organizational program. In American English, it more frequently carries a negative connotation, suggesting a crafty or underhanded plot.
Common Mistakes
Learners often assume 'scheme' is always negative (like a scam). However, in many professional contexts, it simply means a formal system or program.
Memory Tip
Think of a 'schematic' diagram. Just as a schematic shows how parts of a machine fit together, a 'scheme' is the structural plan of how a system works.
Word Origin
Derived from the Greek 'skhema', meaning 'form, figure, or appearance'.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In the United Kingdom, government initiatives like the 'Cycle to Work Scheme' make the word appear frequently in public life without any negative meaning.
Quick Quiz
The interior designer suggested a blue and silver _____ for the master bedroom.
Correct!
The correct answer is: scheme
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
A detailed plan or scheme that outlines the functional and a...
designA design is a plan or drawing produced to show the look and...
structureThe way in which the parts of a system or object are arrange...
frameworkTo provide a basic structure or a set of rules for a project...
blueprintTo design or outline a detailed plan for something, often us...
Related Words
subfactile
C1To subtly manipulate or influence the underlying facts or foundational elements of a situation, often to guide an outcome without drawing attention. It describes the act of working beneath the surface to reshape how a project or narrative is constructed.
microchromtude
C1Characterized by extremely subtle or minute variations in color that are often imperceptible without specialized equipment. It describes a state of high chromatic complexity where hues shift in very small, detailed increments.
hypersumcide
C1Describing a state of systemic collapse or self-destruction caused by the excessive accumulation and aggregation of components or data. It characterizes a system that fails because the total sum of its parts has become too overwhelming to manage or sustain.
circumjugious
C1A rare term referring to the state or quality of being joined, yoked, or bound together in a circular or encompassing fashion. It describes a structural or conceptual unity where elements are linked around a central point or perimeter.
perinascize
C1A rare noun denoting the state, process, or environment surrounding the emergence or birth of a concept, system, or entity. It specifically refers to the transitional phase and the immediate peripheral conditions present at the very moment of a new beginning.
misdocancy
C1The act or instance of incorrect, faulty, or negligent documentation, specifically referring to the failure to accurately record information in professional or clinical settings. It describes the state where records are inconsistent with the actual events or data they are intended to represent.
envivency
C1To infuse a concept, artistic work, or atmosphere with a renewed sense of life, vividness, and energy. It describes the act of making something abstract feel tangible or animating a previously stagnant situation.
comheredist
C1To systematically unify and distribute inherited elements, traditions, or data into a cohesive modern framework. It describes the active process of integrating legacy components into a functional, distributed system.
disnascy
C1A formal term describing a state of failed or arrested emergence, where a concept, project, or entity fails to fully develop or be born. It refers to the quality of being perpetually 'almost started' but never achieving a functional or realized existence.
devolile
C1Describing something that is subject to or characterized by the delegation of authority from a central body to a subordinate or local level. It is often used to describe legal or administrative processes where powers are transferred downward.
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