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

The defendants were charged with 45 counts relating to the scheme, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., wire fraud, and aiding and assisting in preparing false tax returns. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025

The defendants include Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers who was sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the riot, and Kelly Meggs, one of Rhodes' top deputies who was sentenced to 12 years. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025

Tarrio, who was less than two years into a 22-year federal prison sentence for seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol when President Donald Trump pardoned him on Monday, returned home to Miami on Wednesday and sat down with USA TODAY Friday morning. —Will Carless, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025

For her part, MacArthur on Friday focused the prosecution argument on the marquee count in the indictment: the racketeering conspiracy. —Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025

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