connivance
Americannoun
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the act of conniving.
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Law.
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tacit encouragement or assent (without participation) to wrongdoing by another.
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the consent by a person to a spouse's conduct, especially adultery, that is later made the basis of a divorce proceeding or other complaint.
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noun
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the act or fact of conniving
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law the tacit encouragement of or assent to another's wrongdoing, esp (formerly) of the petitioner in a divorce suit to the respondent's adultery
Other Word Forms
- nonconnivance noun
- nonconnivence noun
Etymology
Origin of connivance
First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier connivence, from French or directly from Latin connīventia; connive, -ence, -ance
Explanation
If your principal overlooks cheating on standardized tests because it makes his school look better, he is guilty of connivance, or allowing an unethical act to take place. If your siblings conspire to play a prank on you, you could say they are conniving to trick you. If your mother knew about it, but chose to allow the act to happen, you'd probably be pretty angry at her connivance. Or you could follow the old saying, "Don't get mad, get even!"
Vocabulary lists containing connivance
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 2
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Far from the Madding Crowd
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A Dance with Dragons
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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.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Wednesday that scam centres were destroying his country's economy and giving the nation a bad name -- pushing back on allegations of government connivance.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
During the 1990s he privately criticized the “barbarians” brought in by a new editor, Tina Brown, but admitted to Garrison Keillor his “own unprincipled connivance with the Tina regime.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025
The panel presiding over the case were suspicious, but, with Quins' backroom staff sticking rigidly to their story, they couldn't unpick the full connivance.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2025
"The connivance is hurting the system of value investment, encouraging misbehaviours, and is negative to long-term health of the market."
From Reuters • Nov. 1, 2023
His entire attitude of connivance was superbly exaggerated.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
