conspiracy
noun
con·spir·a·cy
kən-ˈspir-ə-sē 
plural conspiracies
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
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
She was arrested on suspicion of robbery (conspiracy) and resisting or obstructing officers, according to the news release.
—
Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 1 Mar. 2025
The former cartel leader is facing multiple charges, including drug trafficking and conspiracy to murder, in the Eastern District of New York.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
But Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence is an even bigger one, for now the chief spy in America is a Moscow darling who has blamed NATO for Russia’s aggression and frequently shared bizarre Russian conspiracies and anti-American propaganda.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025
Morris untangles a web of conspiracy involving the CIA, LSD, Jack Ruby, the Manson Family, and Vincent Bugliosi, casting doubt on the official story of the 1960s’ most infamous killing spree.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conspiracy
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Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 1 Mar. 2025
The former cartel leader is facing multiple charges, including drug trafficking and conspiracy to murder, in the Eastern District of New York.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
But Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence is an even bigger one, for now the chief spy in America is a Moscow darling who has blamed NATO for Russia’s aggression and frequently shared bizarre Russian conspiracies and anti-American propaganda.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025
Morris untangles a web of conspiracy involving the CIA, LSD, Jack Ruby, the Manson Family, and Vincent Bugliosi, casting doubt on the official story of the 1960s’ most infamous killing spree.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conspiracy
Cite this Entry
“Conspiracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspiracy. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
conspiracy
noun
con·spir·a·cy
kən-ˈspir-ə-sē
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
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
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