conspiracy

American  

[kuhn-spir-uh-see] / kənˈspɪr ə si /

noun

plural

conspiracies

1. the act of conspiring.

   Synonyms:

   sedition, collusion

2. an unlawful, harmful, or evil plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.

3. a combination of persons for such an unlawful, harmful, or evil purpose.

   He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.

4. Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.

5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.

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conspiracy British  

/ kənˈspɪrəsɪ, kənˌspɪrəˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

1. a secret plan or agreement to carry out an illegal or harmful act, esp with political motivation; plot

2. the act of making such plans in secret

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Usage

What does conspiracy mean? Conspiracy most commonly means a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal. Conspiracy can also refer to the act of making such plans—the act of conspiring—or to the group making the plans. The people involved can be called conspirators. In a legal context, conspiracy refers to an agreement by two or more people to commit a crime. A conspiracy theory is an explanation of an event that claims it was the result of a secret and often complex and evil plot by multiple people. 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. Both conspiracy and conspiracy theory are often used in the context of politics. Example: This isn’t the work of one man—it’s a conspiracy, and there are more people in on it than you think!

Related Words

Conspiracy, plot, intrigue, cabal all refer to surreptitious or covert schemes to accomplish some end, most often an evil one. A conspiracy usually involves a group entering into a secret agreement to achieve some illicit or harmful objective: a vicious conspiracy to control prices. A plot is a carefully planned secret scheme, usually by a small number of persons, to secure sinister ends: a plot to seize control of a company. An intrigue usually involves duplicity and deceit aimed at achieving either personal advantage or criminal or treasonous objectives: the petty intrigues of civil servants. Cabal refers either to a plan by a small group of highly-placed persons to overthrow or control a government, or to the group of persons themselves: a cabal of powerful lawmakers.

Other Word Forms

• conspirative adjective
• conspirator noun
• conspiratorial adjective
• conspiratorially adverb
• conspiratory adjective
• preconspiracy noun

Etymology

Origin of conspiracy

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English conspiracie, probably from Anglo-French; see conspire, -acy; replacing Middle English conspiracioun; see conspiration

Explanation

A conspiracy is a secret agreement between two or more people to commit an unlawful or harmful act. A person who believes that the government is secretly controlled by power brokers, in flagrant violation of the U.S. Constitution, is an example of a conspiracy theorist. Conspiracy can also refer to the act of planning an unlawful or harmful act: Terrorists might be accused of organizing a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Conspiracy is ultimately from Latin cōnspīrāre "to agree or plot together, literally to breathe together." The corresponding English verb is conspire.

Example Sentences

In “Man on Fire,” the intense, angry and vengeful Creasy is protecting Poe from a multilayered criminal conspiracy in Rio de Janeiro and can’t seem to keep her in tow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Prosecutor Nomenarinera Mihamintsoa Ramanantsoa said the French national had been charged with multiple offences including criminal conspiracy and plotting to sabotage infrastructure such as power lines and thermal plants.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

The conspiracy theory continues to spread largely unchecked online, as many tech platforms have scaled back content moderation efforts that were once used to curb disinformation.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

What follows is a story told in hasty paragraphs, pithy fragments and cynical dispatches from a conspiracy theory-infested America.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

Her voice was low and excited, as if she and I were partners in some great conspiracy.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

Related Words

• plot
• scheme
• sedition
• treason