co-conspirator
Americannoun
Usage
What does co-conspirator mean? A co-conspirator is a fellow conspirator—someone engaged in a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal. Such a plan is called a conspiracy. The word conspiracy can also refer to the act of making such plans—the act of conspiring—or to the group making the plans. In a legal context, conspiracy refers to an agreement by two or more people to commit a crime. In any of these cases, the people involved can be called conspirators. The word co-conspirator refers to a conspirator conspiring with one or more other conspirators in the same conspiracy. By itself, the word conspirator always implies that there are multiple people involved—there is never a single conspirator. Technically, the phrase fellow co-conspirator is redundant, since co-conspirator means the same thing as fellow conspirator. A conspiracy theory is an explanation of an event that says it was the result of a secret and often complex and evil plot by multiple co-conspirators. People who promote or formulate conspiracy theories often reject the standard or accepted explanation of unexplained or unusual events and claim that they are the doing of evil conspirators secretly conspiring behind the scenes. Example: This proves that the crime wasn’t the work of one man—it was carried out by several co-conspirators who are now under arrest.
Etymology
Origin of co-conspirator
First recorded in 1860–65
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.
The pictures included Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell as well as actor Kevin Spacey and former President Bill Clinton.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
Another alleged co-conspirator, former Venezuelan spy chief Hugo Carvajal, is in talks with prosecutors about being a cooperating witness against Maduro, according to a person familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
Legal representatives for Wexner told the BBC that he was “neither a co-conspirator nor a target” during the investigation.
From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025
Lawyers for Wexner told BBC News that "the assistant U.S. attorney in charge of the Epstein investigation stated at the time that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target".
From BBC • Dec. 23, 2025
But Emma has been my co-conspirator, my partner-in-crime.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
