scenariosce‧na‧ri‧o /səˈnɑːriəʊ $ -ˈnærioʊ, -ˈne-/ ●○○ AWL noun (plural scenarios) [countable] 
Word Origin
Imagine a scenario where only 20% of people have a job.possible/likely/plausible scenario Under a likely scenario, world population will double by 2050. a possible scenarioworst-case/nightmare scenario (=the worst possible situation) The worst-case scenario was that he would have to have an operation.2 technical a written description of the characters, place, and things that will happen in a film, play etcCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + scenarioa possible scenario· Defence planners are paid to consider every possible scenario.a likely/plausible scenario· The more likely scenario is that support for the group will wane.an unlikely scenario· I might get the job, but it is an unlikely scenario.the worst-case/worst scenario (=the worst thing that might happen)· The worst-case scenario is that it is already too late to do anything about global warming.a nightmare scenario (=a very bad thing that might happen)· The nightmare scenario would be a number of simultaneous terrorist attacks.a doomsday scenario (=a great disaster that might happen)· A year ago, few people were talking about such a doomsday scenario.verbsimagine a scenario· It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the company will give this information freely.consider a scenario (=think about what might happen)· The government has considered various possible scenarios.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINscenario
ExamplesOrigin:
1800-1900 Italian, Latin scaenarium, from scaena; ➔ SCENEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- A common scenario is that a woman marries and sacrifices her career for her husband.
- In a worst-case scenario all life on the planet would be wiped out by a nuclear war.
- This is every politician's nightmare scenario.
- Under the most hopeful scenario, it will take 20 years to clean up the mess.
- A possible scenario is depicted in Figure 2.3.
- Our scenarios are incomplete, no more than works-in-progress, meant to be evocative, not exhaustive.
- The scenario is world war two and you are at the controls of the fictional whirly-bird.
- The scenarios that follow shall include only events that were witnessed and caused injuries, damage, or death.
- Though not out of the range of historic experience, absolute economic decline is, of course, an extreme scenario.
Longman Language Activatorwhat is happening in a particular place or at a particular time► situation
Collocations the combination of all the things that are happening in a particular place and at a particular time, especially when this is causing problems: · I tried to explain the situation to my boss.· With no rain for six months, the situation in the region was becoming desperate.· The economic situation in the US is getting better.· The news of more stock market losses could make the difficult economic situation worse.in a situation: · If you are ever in a situation where someone starts shooting, drop to the ground.· In the present situation, I don't think it would be a good idea to try to sell your house.
► circumstances the situation at a particular time, which influences what people do, what they decide, and what can happen: the circumstances: · TV cameras are sometimes allowed in the courts, but it depends on the circumstances.in the circumstances (=because of the circumstances): · We don't normally allow people in after 8 pm, but in the circumstances we'll make an exception.in some/certain/normal etc circumstances: · An applicant's age may be taken into consideration in some circumstances.under some/the/certain etc circumstances: · Under normal circumstances I would never have left the children with a stranger.
► things especially spoken, informal the general situation that exists, especially the way it affects people's lives: · Don't worry! Things can't get any worse.· Things haven't changed much since I wrote to you last.· Now that we have kids, things are really different.
► case a particular situation - use this especially when you are comparing one situation with others to show how they are similar or different: · In cases like this, the company has to be sold off to someone who can cope with the debt. in cases of: · The law limits work in underground mines to eight hours per day, except in cases of emergency.in this/that case: · "It's supposed to rain tomorrow." "Well, in that case, we won't go."in some/a few/many cases: · In some cases, mail carriers could not get to mailboxes surrounded by plowed snow.
► what's going on use this especially to ask or say what is happening in a situation: · Nobody could tell her what was going on.· I've been waiting here for nearly two hours! Does anyone know what's going on?· What's going on? Why won't you talk to me?
► conditions all the things that affect the way people live or work, such as a country's economic situation, whether people have enough food, the places they live in etc: · Conditions in the city are getting rapidly worse.· How can people live in such dreadful conditions?· Employees are demanding better working conditions and higher wages.· a study into the social conditions of the nineteenth century
► state of affairs an unsatisfactory, disappointing, or unusual situation that causes a lot of problems: · Crisis has always been the normal state of affairs in our country's politics. sorry/sad state of affairs (=bad state of affairs): · It's a sad state of affairs when a leader can't take the time to address the true problems facing his country.
► state of play British what is happening now in a situation that is still developing and is likely to change - use this especially in business and political contexts: · Every four weeks we get a briefing from the managers, giving us the state of play.· The current state of play in Anglo-French relations is best characterized as "cautious cooperation".
► scenario a situation that could possibly happen but has not happened yet - use this especially when you are discussing what might happen: · Under the most hopeful scenario, it will take 20 years to clean up the mess.worst-case/nightmare scenario (=the worst possible situation): · In a worst-case scenario all life on the planet would be wiped out by a nuclear war.· This is every politician's nightmare scenario.
► environment all the things that influence the way you live, work, and develop, such as the physical conditions you live in and the people around you: · Do girls learn better in an all-female environment?· I didn't feel that the neighborhood was a very safe environment for kids.working/home environment: · We have tried to create a working environment in which everyone can develop their skills.
► climate the economic, social, and political situation that exists at a particular time - use this especially when you are discussing what can be done or what people believe at that time: · In today's political climate the return of communism seems impossible.· Hopefully, when the financial climate gets better we'll be able to take on more workers.climate of hostility/distrust etc: · The revelations of corruption have led to a climate of distrust in the capital.climate of opinion (=what people generally think): · The climate of opinion on the sensitive topic of euthanasia is changing gradually.
► set-up the way something such as a family, company, or country is arranged, especially a way that you do not understand or do not approve of: · They're divorced, but they're still living in the same house - it seems like a strange set-up to me.· It's an impressive set-up. The foundation brings in half a million dollars a day.
WORD SETS► ARTSaesthete, nounagitprop, nounart gallery, nounartist, nounartwork, nounavant-garde, adjectivebaroque, adjectivecapture, verbceramics, nouncharacter, nounclassical, adjectiveclassicism, nouncompere, nouncontemporary, adjectiveconvention, nouncreative, adjectivecritical, adjectivecrossover, nouncubism, nouncultural, adjectiveculturally, adverbculture, nouncurator, nouncycle, noundrama, nouneisteddfod, nounepic, nouneponymous, adjectiveerotic, adjectiveerotica, nouneroticism, nounexhibit, verbexhibit, nounexhibition, nounexpress, verbexpression, nounexpressionism, nounextract, nounfictionalize, verbfigurine, nounfin de siècle, adjectiveflashback, nounformalism, nounfuturism, nounglaze, verbglaze, nounGothic, adjectivehandcrafted, adjectivehandicraft, nounhandmade, adjectivehigh priest, nounhistorical, adjectiveinterpretation, nounItalianate, adjectivelowbrow, adjectivemagnum opus, nounmarquetry, nounmasterpiece, nounmasterwork, nounmature, adjectivemedium, nounMFA, nounmiddlebrow, adjectiveminimalism, nounmotif, nounmuse, nounnarrator, nounnaturalism, nounneoclassical, adjectivenotice, nounoeuvre, nounoffering, nounopening, adjectiveopus, nounpan, verbparody, nounpastiche, nounpattern, nounpiece, nounpop art, nounportfolio, nounpostmodernism, nounprequel, nounpreview, nounproduce, verbproduction, nounrealism, nounrealistic, adjectiverehash, verbreview, nounreview, verbromantic, nounromanticism, nounroyalty, nounrubbish, nounsalon, nounscenario, nounscene, nounsensuous, adjectivesentimental, adjectivesequel, nounsequence, nounset piece, nounsetting, nounShakespearean, adjectiveshowing, nounskit, nounstory, nounstudio, nounstylistic, adjectivesurrealism, nounswansong, nounsynopsis, nountitle, nountrilogy, nountwo-dimensional, adjectiveuncut, adjectiveunexpurgated, adjectivevillain, nounwork, nounwork of art, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYADJECTIVES/NOUN + scenario► a possible scenario
1a situation that could possibly happen: · Defence planners are paid to consider every possible scenario.
► a likely/plausible scenario· The more likely scenario is that support for the group will wane.
► an unlikely scenario· I might get the job, but it is an unlikely scenario.
► the worst-case/worst scenario (=the worst thing that might happen)· The worst-case scenario is that it is already too late to do anything about global warming.
► a nightmare scenario (=a very bad thing that might happen)· The nightmare scenario would be a number of simultaneous terrorist attacks.
► a doomsday scenario (=a great disaster that might happen)· A year ago, few people were talking about such a doomsday scenario.
verbs► imagine a scenario· It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the company will give this information freely.
► consider a scenario (=think about what might happen)· The government has considered various possible scenarios.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► doomsday scenario (=a description of a very bad and hopeless situation)
► the nightmare scenario (=the worst possible situation)· Emergency planners are trying to prepare for this nightmare scenario.
► an unlikely scenario/occurrence· They should build a new road, but that’s an unlikely scenario.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► alternative· One would construct alternative scenarios, and brood about them.· The downside of such excellent economic performance is that virtually any alternative scenario will represent a deterioration.· Gallup offered the alternative scenarios shown in the table - including a deal with the Ulster Unionists.· It made dissent, social criticism, and alternative scenarios more difficult to articulate.· However, the facts still fit two alternative scenarios: a. Fred has been encouraging pilferage over a long period.
► different· Two different game scenarios for the death of the boy genius.· Taking their recent findings into account, they begin to script a different scenario.· Several different scenarios can be calculated and printed out very rapidly.· Where moderate fires or controlled burns occur, a different scenario will unfold.· The last match featuring Ballesteros and Olazabal against Strange and Kite produced an altogether different scenario.· If a big fire strikes, an entirely different scenario would occur.
► ill· The worst case scenario suggests aircraft could be responsible for up to 43 percent of the projected rise in global temperature.· It is the worst possible scenario.· It was Liz's worst scenario coming true, in front of hundreds of millions of television viewers.· The worst case scenario is a sausage biscuit with egg, hash browns and orange juice combination.· A little melodramatic, I grant you, but it represented the worst-case scenario.· Would this be the worst case scenario or the best case scenario?· The worst-case scenario for the insurers is a slow-moving front over the upper Thames that gradually moves over London.· A government cost benefit analysis in 1986 showed that the cost of vaccination exceeded the worst case scenario cost of eradication.
► likely· A more likely scenario is that male rape victims would be afforded the same shoddy treatment as their female counterparts.· We suspect the latter is the most likely scenario.· The likely scenario if reform fails, on the other hand, is dismaying.· The most likely scenario is for some type of convergence.
► plausible· This, too, is a plausible scenario.· Miracle in the figurative sense, since although we do not know how cells evolved, quite plausible scenarios have been proposed.
► possible· This list is almost endless but nomatterhow small the likelihood, every possible scenario must be explored.· It is the worst possible scenario.· A possible scenario is depicted in Figure 2.3.· Those are still only ideas, and defense planners are paid to examine every possible scenario.· This is a possible scenario, but an implausible one.· And that was including the very worst possible scenario of disasters she could devise.· A possible scenario for self-publishers is this: You have been meeting with other writers for some time.· Thus the number of possible scenarios for the life, evolution and disappearance of musical instruments is almost infinite.
► unlikely· That is an unlikely enough scenario to dismiss out of hand, though.
► whole· There are further problems with the whole scenario.· I told the whole bizarre scenario to Ron and Syndi.· The fivesome are a comfortable shambles, wandering around and, like, being nice and loose about this whole gig scenario.· This was certainly the first time the President had heard the whole scenario.· I sketch out the whole scenario in seven minutes flat.
NOUN► case· The worst case scenario suggests aircraft could be responsible for up to 43 percent of the projected rise in global temperature.· The worst case scenario is a sausage biscuit with egg, hash browns and orange juice combination.· A little melodramatic, I grant you, but it represented the worst-case scenario.· Would this be the worst case scenario or the best case scenario?· Fortunately, we are still a considerable distance from such a worst-case scenario.· The worst-case scenario for the insurers is a slow-moving front over the upper Thames that gradually moves over London.· A government cost benefit analysis in 1986 showed that the cost of vaccination exceeded the worst case scenario cost of eradication.
► doomsday· Admittedly, there is now much less reason for invoking this doomsday scenario.· A year ago, few people were talking about such a doomsday scenario.· As with the Doomsday scenario, this further militarisation of the police occurred without public debate or accountability.· One doomsday scenario: No Bonds, no stadium.· In 1987, I didn't have to concern myself about Doomsday scenarios as I was staying in Manchester.
► nightmare· It must be said, however, that this is a nightmare scenario which the Government does not subscribe to.· Keith says this match was a nightmare scenario and Gloucester are in trouble.
VERB► consider· It is just an extension of on-the-road campaigning. Consider this scenario which I see consistently two or three times a year.· Home Entertainment Another application area of e-commerce is that of home entertainment. Consider the following scenario.· Let us consider the possible scenarios.· Still, you do have time to show your document. Consider this scenario.· He began to consider the worst possible scenario.
► create· Sometimes I created elaborate scenarios that tested my will to save him.· In perhaps his most startling and disturbing model, Thompson created two scenarios.· Conversely, we can see that the unhappy coincidence of an invalid self-description and a negative evaluation creates a disastrous scenario.· It creates a paradoxical scenario in which the organization acts as both the perpetrator and the victim of its pernicious low performance.
► follow· If this is true, the education secretary will be hoping for one of the following scenarios.· Consider the following scenario: The amendment is passed and ratified by the states.· To make my point, follow this scenario.· For the Purposes of economic analyses we will choose the following representative scenario for retrofitting an existing oil boiler.
► imagine· Intelligent fills Imagine the scenario - you are creating a set of figures ordered by month.· It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which most companies will enthusiastically promote affirmative action as a matter of policy.· Somehow, when she had planned her perfect summer, she had never imagined a scenario like this.· We were sitting around, watching games, imagining every scenario.· Making changes Imagine the scenarios for four short stories.· But once again, one can imagine such an extreme scenario, although very rare.· I can imagine the scenario that must have taken place before the Bill was introduced.
► play· He is always very receptive and is willing to share with you, to play out various scenarios.
Imagine a scenario where only 20% of people have a job.possible/likely/plausible scenario Under a likely scenario, world population will double by 2050. a possible scenarioworst-case/nightmare scenario (=the worst possible situation) The worst-case scenario was that he would have to have an operation.2 technical a written description of the characters, place, and things that will happen in a film, play etcCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + scenarioa possible scenario· Defence planners are paid to consider every possible scenario.a likely/plausible scenario· The more likely scenario is that support for the group will wane.an unlikely scenario· I might get the job, but it is an unlikely scenario.the worst-case/worst scenario (=the worst thing that might happen)· The worst-case scenario is that it is already too late to do anything about global warming.a nightmare scenario (=a very bad thing that might happen)· The nightmare scenario would be a number of simultaneous terrorist attacks.a doomsday scenario (=a great disaster that might happen)· A year ago, few people were talking about such a doomsday scenario.verbsimagine a scenario· It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the company will give this information freely.consider a scenario (=think about what might happen)· The government has considered various possible scenarios.