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

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

From Barron's

She told the inquiry the men "prioritised personal gratification and their careers over the wellbeing of their families" and claimed "the deceit and collusion went high up the chain."

From BBC

The remit included establishing the "extent of any state collusion" in the Glenanne gang's activities.

From BBC

The national-security regulations, which were expanded last year, feature broad provisions against subversion and foreign collusion that have been used to clamp down on popular expressions of dissent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Aggie and Nile’s cat-and-mouse contest is compelling, but one part of a larger story about corruption and class-based collusion in a city that is home to more billionaires than anywhere else on the planet.

From Salon

Related Words

• complicity
• conspiracy
• deceit
• scam