cabal

[ kuh-bawl, kuh-bal ]

noun

1. a small group of secret plotters, as against a government or person in authority.

   Synonyms: ring, league, band, faction, junta

2. the plots and schemes of such a group; intrigue.
3. a clique, as in artistic, literary, or theatrical circles.

verb (used without object)

, ca·balled, ca·bal·ling.

1. to form a cabal; intrigue; conspire; plot.

Cabal

¹

/ kəˈbæl /

noun

1. the Cabal
   English history a group of ministers of Charles II that governed from 1667–73: consisting of Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale

cabal

²

/ kəˈbæl /

noun

1. a small group of intriguers, esp one formed for political purposes
2. a secret plot, esp a political one; conspiracy; intrigue
3. a secret or exclusive set of people; clique

verb

1. to form a cabal; conspire; plot

Other Words From

• ca·bal·ler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cabal¹

First recorded in 1610–20, for an earlier sense; earlier cabbal, from Medieval Latin cabbala; kabbalah

Word History and Origins

Origin of cabal¹

see kabbalah ; by a coincidence, the initials of Charles II's ministers can be arranged to form this word

Origin of cabal²

C17: from French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see cabbala

Synonym Study

See conspiracy.

Example Sentences

Some go deep, believing that a cabal of Democrats and celebrities torture children to drink their blood.

From Washington Post

They form the most privileged cabal in all of American media, as they preside over the country’s most toxic news organization without having to answer for its abuses.

From Washington Post

They were going to replace the secretary, deputy secretary, myself and number of other people, and it was a cabal of crazies.

From Washington Post

Another example, this one trending in left-wing circles, is a fake report about a mysterious cabal that’s blocking mailboxes to discourage voting.

From Fortune

It has recently become a major gathering place for QAnon conspiracy theorists, who believe an elite cabal of satanic child molesters are running the country.

From Ozy

A cabal can do it, selling their influence to the highest bidder.

From The Daily Beast

It has now leant its name to a shadowy cabal known within the German meat-processing industry as the Atlantic group.

From The Daily Beast

The arms dealer sells it to a mysterious neo-Nazi cabal, which then detonates it in Baltimore.

From The Daily Beast

LIBOR is the very definition of a rate set by a cabal, ripe for collusion.

From The Daily Beast

Silicon Valley has its own weaknesses: the cabal of successful investors is small and insular.

From The Daily Beast

Meanwhile the cabal against the ruined Ripperda raged with redoubled fury in the Spanish cabinet.

From Project Gutenberg

But here the artist stranded, the victim of a cabal, despite the protection of Camille Maupin.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Palfrey terms this attempt a "Presbyterian cabal," and calls its leaders "conspirators."

From Project Gutenberg

But as true Merit,236 is always the most envied, a Cabal was soon formed against his Integrity.

From Project Gutenberg

She had no political ability, no inclination for political affairs, but she was at once the tool and guiding genius of the Cabal.

From Project Gutenberg