conspiracies

noun

plural of conspiracy
1
as in Mafias
a group involved in secret or criminal activities members of the conspiracy recognized each other by a secret handshake

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in complicities
a secret agreement or cooperation between two parties for an illegal or dishonest purpose a conspiracy among the leading manufacturers to fix prices

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in schemes
a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends several generals were engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow the government

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 conspiracies What always entertains me so much about those types of conspiracies is that reality is just as crazy. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 But in recent years, Brand has publicly pivoted to an influencer and podcaster focused on spirituality and heavily leaning toward anti-government conspiracies. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026 Orphaned, the children are taken in by their irreverent aunt Berta, and begin a new life in the big city in a house frequented by intellectuals and where all kinds of political conspiracies are hatched. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Prosecutors describe the drug trafficking and torture conspiracies as interconnected, asserting that proceeds from corruption and narcotics trafficking helped Maduro and Flores maintain the loyalty of officials who enforced their rule. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 That’s largely because of greater politicization around the election process — and who is in charge of it — in an era of conspiracies and disinformation. — Robert Tann, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026 In an interview with Elle, Reinhart addressed fan conspiracies about Bateman’s casting. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026 As the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris’ newfound bond with a pair of students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone’s trip sideways. — Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026 Even the Lindsay Clancy trial — hearing all of those conspiracies is fascinating, and I get sucked down a rabbit hole really quickly. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conspiracies
  1. gangs
  2. intrigues
  3. schemes
  4. networks
  5. plots
  6. syndicates
  7. cabals
  8. clans
Noun
  • Artisanal weapons and revolvers have been increasingly relegated to rural areas, smaller criminal groups and individuals, while over the past two years gangs have been procuring larger numbers of more lethal weaponry.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Payments to these gangs in drugs developed local markets that further increased the violence, and the authorities felt overwhelmed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of gangs
Noun
  • However, work stalled at the 60th floor and was paused for several years, with multiple reports naming palace intrigues and purges by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the cause for the delay.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The series has always moved at a deliberate pace, allowing the characters’ social battles and romantic intrigues to simmer.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrigues
Noun
  • Spoelstra finished tied with Houston’s Ime Udoka with the second-most votes (10%) as the head coach who has the best defensive schemes.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • While both players moved around sometimes in their respective schemes, Shipp and Glasker do most of their damage as outside receivers.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of schemes
Noun
  • Faisal Munir, president of mission-critical communications at L3Harris, said the partnership combines complementary technologies with resilient networks.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The contest of networks will be nearly global, waged in multiple domains, with huge stakes riding on the outcome.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of networks
Noun
  • There’s no winking at the audience, no sense of camp or parody, just a lot of appealing interactions, plus some wholly superfluous tertiary plots added to expand the story to series length.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Unsheltered intertwined two plots related to the precarity of American life and the danger of demagogues—one set at the dawn of the MAGA era.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of plots
Noun
  • Most crime syndicates were more welcoming to Korean recruits, for example, than mainstream corporations were.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Ramaphosa announced that soldiers would be deployed to support police in tackling gang violence, as the government steps up its fight against criminal syndicates.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of syndicates
Noun
  • Increasingly, his mind was preoccupied with extremist views and conspiracy theories, including secret government cabals and false-flag operations.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • Thomas Pynchon’s latest novel, Shadow Ticket, set in 1932 Milwaukee, takes place in a landscape of industrial ghosts, strike-breakers, fascist sympathizers and absurdist cabals.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Definition of cabals
Noun
  • Ali Mahmoud Ali, the group's Sudan analyst, said that the latest clashes risk bringing in more Nuba clans into the fight and could increase divisions across South Kordofan, where communities are facing an already dire humanitarian situation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • All Palestinian clans and families in Gaza would also be a target for disarmament, which would have an impact on the future of Hamas and Palestinian armed struggle.
    — Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of clans

Browse Nearby Words

conspicuously
conspiracies
conspiracy
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Cite this Entry

“Conspiracies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conspiracies. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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