a defined plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a defined plan" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a plan that has been clearly outlined or specified, often in a professional or organizational context. Example: "In order to achieve our goals, we need to implement a defined plan that outlines our strategies and timelines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

In addition, these investors have a defined plan to sell their investments after a specific amount of time.

The New York Times

Mr. Pickens does not have a defined plan for this venture, but when he sees another property where the price or location is right, he'll jump in.

The New York Times

But he also acknowledged his concern at the time that perhaps the Bush camp was "making the biggest mistake anybody could make, having a defined plan of activity during the period of time when the opposition thinks nobody's paying attention," he said.

The New York Times

If the commercial or technical stuff does not happen on time, if the lack of a defined plan erodes political support, if the space station program ends and there is nothing going beyond that and no market for some of these commercial launchers, the U.S. is out of the human spaceflight game.

MIT Technology Review

Without a defined plan, salespeople will figure out their own methods of social selling, which could lead to negative results.

Forbes

Although these programs vary in content and setting, key lessons learned include the importance of support from all stakeholders, consistent program delivery and tools, a coherent team to run the program, and a defined plan for outcome assessment.

Duke University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

A life-cycle model has been developed, combining distributed generation and conventional sources to calculate the cost and environmental impacts of meeting the building energy demand over a defined planning period.

Energy Conversion and Management

Wooden believed that you had to follow a defined, planned out, routine that maximized efficiency.

Forbes

We define a resource allocation plan as the number and type of resources allocated to a set of applications over a given number of resource allocation intervals within a defined planning horizon.

Journal of Cloud Computing

The national guidance provides good UK practice on urban freight plans [59], and they set out goals for transport planning in a defined planning period, thus providing ideas about measures and visions adjusted to fit each local context.

European Transport Research Review

Like ZPLAN, it deterministically calculates the expected genetic trend and the discounted economic gain and profit over a defined planning horizon.

Genetics, Selection, Evolution

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a defined plan" to signal to your audience that you're about to explain a structured approach. This sets expectations for a clear and organized explanation.

Common error

Avoid using "a defined plan" if the plan is still vague or subject to significant changes. Prematurely labeling it as 'defined' can undermine your credibility if the details are not yet finalized.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a defined plan" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "defined" modifies the noun "plan". According to Ludwig AI, it's used to describe a strategy or course of action that has been clearly outlined or specified.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

30%

Academia

28%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a defined plan" is a common phrase used to describe a strategy or course of action that has been clearly outlined and specified. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for use in various contexts, especially news, academic, and scientific writing. It conveys clarity and intentionality, suggesting a well-thought-out approach. While alternatives like "a clear strategy" or "a structured plan" exist, "a defined plan" is a direct and effective way to communicate that a specific plan is in place. Use this phrase when you need to stress the structured and intentional nature of a plan, always ensuring that your writing delivers the clarity it promises.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a structured plan

Replaces "defined" with "structured", emphasizing the organized nature of the plan.

a clear strategy

Substitutes "plan" with "strategy", focusing on the overall approach to achieve a goal; "defined" becomes "clear".

a concrete roadmap

Replaces "plan" with "roadmap", highlighting the step-by-step guidance provided; "defined" becomes "concrete".

a specific course of action

Replaces "plan" with "course of action", emphasizing the actions to be taken; "defined" becomes "specific".

a well-defined program

Swaps "plan" for "program", suggesting a more formal and organized initiative; keeps "defined".

an established protocol

Uses "protocol" instead of "plan", indicating a set of rules or procedures; "defined" becomes "established".

a set agenda

Substitutes "plan" with "agenda", focusing on a list of items or topics to be addressed; "defined" becomes "set".

a purposeful design

Replaces "plan" with "design", emphasizing the intentional arrangement; "defined" becomes "purposeful".

a strategic blueprint

Uses "blueprint" instead of "plan", indicating a detailed design or scheme; "defined" becomes "strategic".

a formulated method

Substitutes "plan" with "method", focusing on a particular procedure or way of doing something; "defined" becomes "formulated".

FAQs

How can I use "a defined plan" in a sentence?

You can use "a defined plan" to indicate that a course of action has been clearly outlined, such as, "The company's success is attributed to having "a defined plan" for market expansion".

What are some alternatives to saying "a defined plan"?

Alternatives to "a defined plan" include "a clear strategy", "a structured plan", or "a concrete roadmap" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "a defined plan" or "a clear plan"?

Both "a defined plan" and "a clear plan" are correct, but "a defined plan" emphasizes that the plan has been specifically outlined, while "a clear plan" simply means it's easy to understand. Choose the phrase that best fits the nuance you want to convey.

What does it mean to have "a defined plan"?

To have "a defined plan" means that you have a specific and detailed strategy for achieving a particular goal. It suggests that you have considered the steps involved and have a clear understanding of how to proceed.