collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose

acting in collusion with the enemy

collusive

kə-ˈlü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

collusively adverb

Synonyms

• complicity
• connivance
• conspiracy

Examples of collusion in a Sentence

The company was acting in collusion with manufacturers to inflate prices.

there was collusion between the two companies to fix prices

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Palermo gelato affair, the company did not have the necessary permits for one of the two shops, prompting calls for a probe into whether there was collusion with public officials. —Brooke Seipel, Fortune Europe, 27 Oct. 2024

If collusion is proven, the implications could be profound, according to Anat Alon-Beck, a business law professor at Case Western Reserve University who specializes in anti-trust law. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 9 Oct. 2024

Com to look at prices at nearby apartments, is that collusion and price fixing? —Roger Valdez, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024

On the flip side, Trump and his surrogates have hammered home that a rigged and broken system is the result of the collusion between the mainstream media and elites. —Chris Jackson, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin collusion-, collusio, from colludere — see collude

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: secret agreement or cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose

collusive

-ˈlü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

Legal Definition

collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: the act or an instance of colluding

collusive

-siv 

adjective