collusion

American  

[kuh-loo-zhuhn] / kəˈlu ʒən /

noun

1. a secret agreement, especially for fraudulent or treacherous purposes; conspiracy.

   Some of his employees were acting in collusion to rob him.

   Synonyms:

   complicity, connivance, intrigue

2. Law. a secret understanding between two or more persons to gain something illegally, to defraud someone's rights, or to appear as adversaries though in agreement.

   collusion of husband and wife to obtain a divorce.

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collusion British  

/ kəˈluːʒən /

noun

1. secret agreement for a fraudulent purpose; connivance; conspiracy

2. a secret agreement between opponents at law in order to obtain a judicial decision for some wrongful or improper purpose

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Other Word Forms

• collusive adjective
• noncollusion noun
• precollusion noun

Etymology

Origin of collusion

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (from Middle French ) from Latin collūsiōn- (stem of collūsiō ), equivalent to collūs(us) (past participle of collūdere to collude ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Charges of corporate collusion and conspiracy are central to both cases.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Other municipalities, too, have filed lawsuits alleging collusion among fire-engine makers, including the city of La Crosse, Wis., and Augusta, Maine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Left by themselves to fight for answers, his mother Margaret and brother Eugene, both now dead, came to suspect collusion between British security forces and informants – meaning state agents - in the group responsible.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

The solution for that is collusion, but it’s illegal in market economies.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

We were masters of collusion, Gramps and I. In that, at least, we were together.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

Related Words

• complicity
• conspiracy
• deceit
• scam