What does "plot" mean?
The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
Plot
/plɒt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
- Grammar: plot is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a lot, a lot of, acreage, acreage.
- Usage evidence: Apart from the plot, the book interested me.
How to use "plot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "plot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "plot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "plot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "plot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "plot" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a lot" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "plot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means.
"If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before."
- 2 a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal) wordnet
- 3 An area or land used for building on or planting on.
- 4 the story that is told in a novel or play or movie etc. wordnet
- 5 A grave.
"He's buried in the family plot."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a chart or graph showing the movements or progress of an object wordnet
- 7 A graph or diagram drawn by hand or produced by a mechanical or electronic device.
"I was told to fly out on a vector of 100 degrees to meet a strong plot of aircraft 30 miles from the coast."
- 8 a small area of ground covered by specific vegetation wordnet
- 9 A secret plan to achieve an end, the end or means usually being illegal or otherwise questionable.
"The plot would have enabled them to get a majority on the board."
- 10 Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue.
"a man of much plot"
- 11 Participation in any stratagem or conspiracy.
"And when Christ saith, Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce."
- 12 A plan; a purpose.
"no other plot in their religion but serve God and save their souls"
- 13 Attractive physical attributes of a fictional character; assets. euphemistic, slang
"Actor X has some great plot near the end of E07."
Verb
- 1 To conceive (a crime, misdeed etc). intransitive, transitive
"They had plotted a robbery."
- 2 plan secretly, usually something illegal wordnet
- 3 To trace out (a graph or diagram). transitive
"They plotted the number of edits per day."
- 4 make a plot of wordnet
- 5 To mark (a point on a graph, chart, etc). transitive
"Every five minutes they plotted their position."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 devise the sequence of events in (a literary work or a play, movie, or ballet) wordnet
- 7 make a schematic or technical drawing that shows interactions among variables or how something is constructed wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Apart from the plot, the book interested me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "plot"?
Common synonyms include: a lot, a lot of, acreage, acreage, acres, action.
How do you use "plot" in a sentence?
Apart from the plot, the book interested me.
How do you pronounce "plot"?
Pronounced /plɒt/.
Etymology
From Middle English plot, plotte, from Old English plot (“a plot of ground”), from Proto-Germanic *plataz, *platjaz (“a patch”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Middle Low German plet (“patch, strip of cloth, rags”), German Bletz (“rags, bits, strip of land”), and possibly Gothic 𐍀𐌻𐌰𐍄 (plat, “a patch, rags”). See also plat. See also complot for an influence on or source of noun sense 5. Noun sense 9 is a back-formation from for the plot.