cartel

noun

kär-ˈtel How to pronounce cartel (audio)
Definition of cartelnext
as in syndicate
a number of businesses or enterprises united for commercial advantage a cartel of oil-producing nations that controls production and influences prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cartel The movie, which starred Saldaña, Garrett Hedlund, and Adria Arjona, follows an ICE agent struggling with the moral dilemmas of border security and an undocumented woman fighting to escape a ruthless cartel. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 The Justice Department⁠ on Wednesday said a federal grand jury indicted two commanders of a powerful Mexican drug cartel, accusing the brothers of trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States and committing firearms offenses. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026 The sheriff’s office did not say the shipment seized Tuesday was connected to a cartel or any other criminal organization. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 The department, which oversees agencies such ICE and Border Patrol, is also responsible for combating criminal organizations like cartels and for stopping drugs like fentanyl from entering the country through its agencies. — Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cartel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartel
  1. syndicate
  2. conglomerate
Noun
  • Complex investigations to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates can require advanced equipment, Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, wrote in a statement.
    — Aneri Pattani — KFF Health News, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026
  • When he's appointed interim sheriff of a tiny Minnesota town, Ulysses Richardson intervenes in a botched bank robbery, discovering a stash of gold and heavy weapons that belong to a Yakuza crime syndicate.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of syndicate
Noun
  • Lawrence, who has represented Dior since 2012, will present the grand prize, which comes with a cash endowment of 400,000 euros and mentorship by the French luxury conglomerate’s teams.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Facing a do-or-die quarter, the industrial conglomerate missed on sales due to issues ramping up production for its CO2 refrigeration business.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of conglomerate

Browse Nearby Words

carted
cartel
cartels
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Cite this Entry

“Cartel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartel. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cartel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cartel

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