Definition of CONSPIRACY (original) (raw)
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](/dictionary/conspiracy theory)
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for conspiracy
intrigue suggests secret underhanded maneuvering in an atmosphere of duplicity.
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 In some cases, the chatbot discussions made people believe these conspiracies even more. —
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2024 Adams, her boyfriend Cullum, and married couple Cole and Cora Twombly all face two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Butler and visitation supervisor Kelley, a 38-year-old preacher's wife who was also a mother. —Stepheny Price, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2024 As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2024 David Kallman is an attorney for one of Michigan’s 2020 pro-Trump electors, Choate, who is returning in 2024 as a potential Republican elector while facing eight felony counts, including conspiracy to commit forgery. —Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conspiracy 
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 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 16 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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