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

Synonyms

• cabal
• crew
• gang
• Mafia
• mob
• ring
• syndicate

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

Muncie is forced to go on the run in a desperate fight to clear his name and unravel a global conspiracy before time runs out. —Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Dec. 2024

The ending of Netflix’s The Madness sees the CNN pundit clear his name and unravel a conspiracy orchestrated by the tech company Revitalize. —Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

Their conspiracy has harmed American energy production and hurt consumers. —Jackson Walker, Baltimore Sun, 30 Nov. 2024

As he’s forced to go on the run in a desperate fight to clear his name and unravel a global conspiracy, Muncie finds unlikely allies against the corrupt billionaire ultimately pulling the strings. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conspiracie, from Latin conspirare — see conspire

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conspiracy

• conspiracy of silence
• conspiracy theorist
• conspiracy theory
• counter-conspiracy

Kids 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