collude
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to act together through a secret understanding, especially with evil or harmful intent.
-
to conspire in a fraud.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of collude
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin collūdere “to play together,” equivalent to col- col- 1 + lūdere “to play”
Explanation
When you collude with someone you secretly plot together to do something bad. You might collude with your twin sister to find out where all the birthday presents are hidden. The word collude entered English in the 16th century from the Latin word colludere, meaning “have a secret agreement,” a combination of col-, meaning “together,” and ludere, meaning “to play.” When you collude with someone, it's like you’re playing together on the same team for the purpose of getting something you want, typically something illegal or harmful. Companies may collude to keep prices high, or politicians may collude to keep damaging information secret.
Vocabulary lists containing collude
Fast Food Nation
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 6–11
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Collude and Conspire-- does it not boil down to the term used for legal investigation and charges.
From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2018
Collude, kol-ūd′, v.i. to play into each other's hand: to act in concert, esp. in a fraud.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
