conspiracy

noun

con·​spir·​a·​cy kən-ˈspir-ə-sē How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
plural conspiracies
Synonyms of conspiracynext
1
: the act of conspiring together
They were accused of conspiracy to commit murder.
2
a
: an agreement among conspirators
uncovered a conspiracy against the government
b
: a group of conspirators
a conspiracy made up of disgruntled aristocrats

see also conspiracy theory

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for conspiracy

plot, intrigue, machination, conspiracy, cabal mean a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end.

plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

Examples of conspiracy in a Sentence

The CIA uncovered a conspiracy against the government. They were accused of conspiracy to commit murder.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Victoria, 32, was arrested March 6 on charges of solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder, according to Clark County inmate records. — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025 Victoria, 32, has been charged with solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder. — Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025 Victoria Goodwin, 32, was being held in the Clark County Detention Center on charges of solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy murder. — Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025 The first trial ended with a hung jury and the second with the couple’s convictions on a wire-fraud conspiracy and related charges. — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conspiracy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conspiracie, from Latin conspirare — see conspire

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conspiracy was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing conspiracy

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Conspiracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspiracy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

conspiracy

noun
con·​spir·​a·​cy kən-ˈspir-ə-sē How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
plural conspiracies
1
: the act of conspiring together
2
a
: an agreement among conspirators
b
: a group of conspirators

Legal Definition

conspiracy

noun
con·​spir·​a·​cy kən-ˈspir-ə-sē How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
plural conspiracies
1
: an agreement between two or more people to commit an act prohibited by law or to commit a lawful act by means prohibited by law
also : the crime or tort of participating in a conspiracy compare substantive crime

Note: Some states require an overt act in addition to the agreement to constitute conspiracy.

— chain conspiracy
: a conspiracy in which the conspirators act separately and successively (as in distributing narcotics)
— civil conspiracy
: a conspiracy that is not prosecuted as a crime but that forms the grounds for a lawsuit
— criminal conspiracy
: a conspiracy prosecuted as a crime
2
: a group of conspirators
Etymology

Latin conspiratio, from conspirare to conspire see conspire

More from Merriam-Webster on conspiracy

Nglish: Translation of conspiracy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conspiracy

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