intrigue 1 of 2

intrigue

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun intrigue differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of intrigue are cabal, conspiracy, machination, and plot. While all these words mean "a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end," intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

When might cabal be a better fit than intrigue?

The synonyms cabal and intrigue are sometimes interchangeable, but cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence.

a cabal among powerful senators

In what contexts can conspiracy take the place of intrigue?

While the synonyms conspiracy and intrigue are close in meaning, conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

When could machination be used to replace intrigue?

The words machination and intrigue can be used in similar contexts, but machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

When would plot be a good substitute for intrigue?

While in some cases nearly identical to intrigue, plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme.

an assassination plot

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of intrigue
Noun
As evidenced by much of her winter press tour style from last year all the way to last night’s red carpet look, Jennifer Lopez knows how to stir up some intrigue. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2025 Her investigation plunges her into the heart of a life-changing event, providing her with a front-row seat to the chaos and intrigue of a bloody political firestorm. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Investors are intrigued that a platform with access to more than 20 million customers is able to enter a sector compared to sports betting without the state regulatory hassle or taxation. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025 But yeah, he definitely is intrigued by Eve. Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intrigue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intrigue
Noun
  • Russell Jones entered a no-contest plea to conspiracy to commit murder.
    Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
  • He also is found guilty of first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
    Todd Pendleton, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Less than a month into the job, Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister plotted their response to a North Korean missile launch in the open-air patio of Mar a Lago, photos of which ended up on Facebook.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Charity workers had plotted the heights and weights of Daasanach children on World Health Organization charts—the same ones our pediatrician used to monitor my daughter’s growth—and determined that more than two-thirds of the kids were malnourished.
    Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Encourage your student to reach out to local professors or professionals in fields that genuinely interest them, rather than focusing solely on prestigious summer programs with low acceptance rates.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • As always, there’s been chatter about the identity of the season’s inevitable casualty and the circumstances behind their death, which has never been a level on which White Lotus interested me.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Nearly 30 years ago California legislators faced a test of their integrity in voting for an electricity deregulation scheme that ratepayers are still paying for.
    Jamie Court, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
  • And perhaps the most frustrating and ironic aspect about these potential cuts is that in the scheme of the U.S. government’s overall budget, Mars gets much more of the planetary science budget than Venus.
    Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • My own experience with autoimmune encephalitis—a disease that distorted my reality, sending me into psychosis and delusions—had left me fascinated by the potentials and limits of our minds.
    Susannah Cahalan, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
  • People with autism, for example, tend to have special interests that result in in-depth knowledge or passion about a topic, says Khan, who recalls a patient fascinated by vacuums.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Stepping inside the small six-suite residence in the city’s trendy Kolonaki neighborhood, you’re immediately immersed in the creative renaissance of modern Athens.
    Monica Mendal, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
  • True to his word, Sharpe has immersed himself in the craft, mastering everything from tasting notes to the intricate distillation processes in Cognac, France.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Intrigue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intrigue. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on intrigue

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