conspiracy

noun

con·​spir·​a·​cy kən-ˈspir-ə-sē How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
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

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 Philadelphia Police Department announced that 52-year-old Lamar Young and 56-year-old Dale Johnson were arrested, and now face charges of murder and conspiracy. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 The accidents led to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department to resolve a criminal charge related to a conspiracy to defraud the FAA. Alicia Diaz, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024 But in time, all of them get involved in the aftermath of Ye Wenjie’s actions, with a conspiracy in the present that includes reclusive billionaire Mike Evans (Jonathan Pryce, also from Thrones) and the enigmatic but dangerous Tatiana (Marlo Kelly). Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 Despite what the prosecutor characterizes as overwhelming circumstantial evidence against Monica, there is no smoking gun connecting her to the conspiracy. Greg Fisher, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Prosecutors declined to file the charge of conspiracy to commit burglary, but he is being held on two felony warrants. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Not that facts have ever gotten in the way of an online conspiracy before. Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2024 Kay Rogers resigned as auditor in March 2008, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud in the Dynus scandal. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 Assange is facing 17 charges for allegedly receiving, possessing and communicating classified information to the public under the Espionage Act, and one charge alleging a conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. Landon Mion, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conspiracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conspiracie, from Latin conspirare — see conspire

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conspiracy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conspiracy

Cite this Entry

“Conspiracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspiracy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conspiracy

noun
con·​spir·​a·​cy kən-ˈspir-ə-sē How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
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 How to pronounce conspiracy (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on conspiracy

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