Thesaurus results for CONSPIRACY

Q: How does the noun 'conspiracy' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conspiracy are cabal , intrigue , machination , and plot . While all these words mean "a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end," conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery. // a conspiracy to fix prices

Q: When would 'cabal' be a good substitute for 'conspiracy'?

The synonyms cabal and conspiracy are sometimes interchangeable, but cabal typically applies to political intrigue involving persons of some eminence. // a cabal among powerful senators

Q: When might 'intrigue' be a better fit than 'conspiracy'?

While the synonyms intrigue and conspiracy are close in meaning, intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity. // backstairs intrigue

Q: In what contexts can 'machination' take the place of 'conspiracy'?

In some situations, the words machination and conspiracy are roughly equivalent. However, machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means. // the machinations of a party boss

Q: When is it sensible to use 'plot' instead of 'conspiracy'?

While in some cases nearly identical to conspiracy , plot implies careful foresight in planning a complex scheme. // an assassination plot

conspiracy

noun

kən-ˈspir-ə-sē

Definition of conspiracy

as in Mafia

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in complicity

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

as in scheme

a secret plan for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends several generals were engaged in a conspiracy to overthrow the government

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun conspiracy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conspiracy are cabal, intrigue, machination, and plot. While all these words mean "a plan secretly devised to accomplish an evil or treacherous end," conspiracy implies a secret agreement among several people usually involving treason or great treachery.

a conspiracy to fix prices

When would cabal be a good substitute for conspiracy?

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

a cabal among powerful senators

When might intrigue be a better fit than conspiracy?

While the synonyms intrigue and conspiracy are close in meaning, intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.

backstairs intrigue

In what contexts can machination take the place of conspiracy?

In some situations, the words machination and conspiracy are roughly equivalent. However, machination implies a contriving of annoyances, injuries, or evils by indirect means.

the machinations of a party boss

When is it sensible to use plot instead of conspiracy?

While in some cases nearly identical to conspiracy, 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 conspiracy The state charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder is based largely on a federal indictment announced in May that included charges of murder and destruction of an airplane. — David Fischer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Gilberto Loya Chávez, the acting head of the Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office, said in a video message that Jáuregui is under investigation for unlawful exercise of public service and conspiracy by public officials. — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 In April 2024, a grand jury indicted them on charges of capital murder, conspiracy and two counts of grand larceny, per exploreClarion. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026 Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, of Queens, was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and serious bodily injury. — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conspiracy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for conspiracy

Noun

Meanwhile, the Mob Museum reported, Mafia violence was also on the rise in Vegas during the 70s.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Expanding on sounds pioneered by his Memphis predecessors, such as Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball & MJG, Tay Keith carved his own lane.

— DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 20 June 2026

Definition of Mafia

Noun

Vicarious disturbance bleeds into complicity in an era when self-representation is conflated with self-branding.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
The filmmaker pushes her to admit her complicity in her crimes and Evans’ dealings, but Seyfried (as Holmes) demurs.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of complicity

Noun

The court order stems from a finding that Shkreli organized an anti-competitive scheme to perpetuate his company Vyera Pharmaceuticals’ monopoly in the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim.

— Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Similar Excel spreadsheets are used to organize schemes where Indian scammers in Delhi or Kolkata impersonate Microsoft tech support, the Internal Revenue Service or even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

— Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of scheme

Noun

And while Haiti has committed to a handover protocol for child gang members, getting the public to accept reintegration of anyone with gang associations is likely to be challenging.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
The changes, which eliminated a requirement from Haiti’s central bank that’s considered a safeguard against individual under sanctions, have raised concerns that people accused of corruption or supporting armed gangs could be elected to office.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of gang

Noun

During the Senate hearing, Dan Meyer, a Vice President of Pierce Manufacturing, was asked about allegations of collusion among the makers of fire apparatus.

— Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
In Japan, this has meant not only a great deal of collusion between yakuza gangs and law enforcement but also considerable overlap between crime and politics—especially, though not exclusively, right-wing politics.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of collusion

Noun

Despite the cookie-cutter nature of the main plot elements, a few star writers emerged who were able to keep readers guessing.

— New York Times, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
In the days before Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was gunned down inside his second-floor bedroom, tensions were mounting in South Florida among the men involved in the plot to overthrow him.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of plot

Noun

Despite the reactionary politics of the yakuza films, not to mention of the syndicates themselves, Ken-san was very popular among left-wing student protesters in the late nineteen-sixties.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Musk’s name is one of a number of wealthy individuals that Paramount CEO David Ellison has considered tapping for the syndicate, the people said.

— Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of syndicate

Noun

There was no moon that evening, a detail, Shawn’s mother would later say, when arguing with his father about whether the man was dangerous or not, that was clearly not a coincidence, and showed careful consideration and connivance on his part.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Or was the whole thing a connivance and Mitzi Blinkhorn always destined to win, thanks to some Machiavellian manipulation behind the scenes?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of connivance

Browse Nearby Words

conspiracies

conspiracy

conspiration

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Style

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

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Synonyms of conspiracy

noun

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