complicitycom‧plic‧i‧ty /kəmˈplɪsəti/ noun [uncountable] formal 
Jennings denied complicity in the murder.2involvement in or knowledge of a situation, especially one that is morally wrong or dishonestcomplicity with His complicity with the former government had led to his downfall.—complicit adjective: The careers of officers complicit in the cover-up were ruined.
WORD ORIGINcomplicity
Origin:
1600-1700 French complicité, from Old French complice; ➔ ACCOMPLICEEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- At its worst, it amounts to complicity in crimes against humanity.
- Dennis gave me the vague smile of complicity that men exchange in lavatorial situations.
- Here the degree of complicity is, and perhaps has to be, far higher than the viewer ever suspects.
- Larry blinked as the light left his face and laughed to show his complicity.
- One could survive only by silence and a strict refusal of complicity.
- The robot was working within the substance of the hydra and with its apparent complicity.
WORD SETS
alarmed, adjectiveallegation, nounamnesty, nounbail, nounbreath test, nouncharge sheet, nouncircumstantial, adjectivecompensation, nouncompensatory, adjectivecomplicity, nouncondemned, adjectivecondemned cell, nounconfess, verbconfession, nounconman, nouncontraband, nouncuff, verbdebug, verbdetain, verbdick, nounenforce, verbfed, nounFederal Bureau of Investigation, nounflogging, nounforensic, adjectivegallows, noungaolbird, noungas chamber, noungibbet, nounguillotine, nounhang, verbhanging, nounhard labour, nounimpeach, verbKC, nounlaunder, verblawsuit, nounleg irons, nounlicensed, adjectivelicensing laws, nounlife, nounlife sentence, nounline-up, nounlynch, verblynch mob, nounpenalty point, nounpenology, nounpolygraph, nounposse, nounprisoner, nounracket, nounracketeer, nounracketeering, nounrake-off, nounransom, nounransom, verbreport, verbreprieve, nounriot, nounshop, verbsilk, nounspeed trap, nounstalker, nounstrip search, nountransport, verbtransportation, nountribunal, nounundercover, adjectivevictim, nounwrongdoing, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The careers of officers complicit in the cover-up were ruined.
1involvement in a crime, together with other peoplecomplicity in The careers of officers complicit in the cover-up were ruined. Jennings denied complicity in the murder.2involvement in or knowledge of a situation, especially one that is morally wrong or dishonestcomplicity with His complicity with the former government had led to his downfall.—complicit adjective: The careers of officers complicit in the cover-up were ruined.