conspire
verb
con·spire kən-ˈspī(-ə)r 
conspired; conspiring
transitive verb
: plot, contrive
intransitive verb
1
a
: to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or an act which becomes unlawful as a result of the secret agreement
accused of conspiring to overthrow the government
conspired to monopolize and restrict trade
b
: scheme
2
: to act in harmony toward a common end
Circumstances conspired to defeat his efforts.
… the sun and the wind conspired to make splinters out of solid wood.
B. J. Oliphant
B. J. Oliphant
Synonyms
- collude
- compass
- connive
- contrive
- intrigue
- machinate
- plot
- put up
- scheme
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
conspired to replace the leader with someone more easily influenced foul weather and airline foul-ups seemed to be conspiring to ruin our vacation
Recent Examples on the Web In the book, white supremacists conspire to bomb FBI headquarters and spark a wider war against the government. Marc Fisher, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Scalpers, cryptocurrency miners, and the underlying global chip shortage and supply chain problems will all conspire to keep GPU prices abnormally high in the short term. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 29 Mar. 2022 Finally, there are other fears over proof-of-stake, notably the risk of a 51% attack—where bad actors conspire to take over more than half the computing power of the network, and tamper with the blockchain record to steal tokens. Taylor Locke, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2022 The emptiness of the vacuum in quantum theory belies a sea of particles—photons, electrons, gravitons, and more—that conspire to make empty space feel empty. Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022 Jumping the Broom shows the beauty and the drama of what can conspire when two people who love each other choose to love one another, despite coming from two very different socioeconomic backgrounds. Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 29 July 2022 The big question is whether broader trends will conspire to drive rates back down. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 8 July 2022 The world seems to conspire to thwart good intentions. John D. Sutter, CNN, 30 June 2022 After all, who could bet against a team led by a core group that made three consecutive trips to the final round despite circumstances that would conspire to prevent that from happening? Tom Layberger, Forbes, 28 June 2022 See More
Marc Fisher, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Scalpers, cryptocurrency miners, and the underlying global chip shortage and supply chain problems will all conspire to keep GPU prices abnormally high in the short term. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 29 Mar. 2022 Finally, there are other fears over proof-of-stake, notably the risk of a 51% attack—where bad actors conspire to take over more than half the computing power of the network, and tamper with the blockchain record to steal tokens. Taylor Locke, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2022 The emptiness of the vacuum in quantum theory belies a sea of particles—photons, electrons, gravitons, and more—that conspire to make empty space feel empty. Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022 Jumping the Broom shows the beauty and the drama of what can conspire when two people who love each other choose to love one another, despite coming from two very different socioeconomic backgrounds. Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 29 July 2022 The big question is whether broader trends will conspire to drive rates back down. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 8 July 2022 The world seems to conspire to thwart good intentions. John D. Sutter, CNN, 30 June 2022 After all, who could bet against a team led by a core group that made three consecutive trips to the final round despite circumstances that would conspire to prevent that from happening? Tom Layberger, Forbes, 28 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French conspirer, from Latin conspirare to be in harmony, conspire, from com- + spirare to breathe
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Kids Definition
conspire
verb
con·spire kən-ˈspīr
conspired; conspiring
1
: to make an agreement with others especially in secret to do an unlawful act
2
: to act together
Events conspired to spoil our plans.
Legal Definition
conspire
intransitive verb
con·spire kən-ˈspīr
conspired; conspiring
: to join in a conspiracy compare solicit
conspired
verb
1
as in plotted
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends conspired to replace the leader with someone more easily influenced Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- plotted
- schemed
- colluded
- connived
- planned
- contrived
- intrigued
- engineered
- machinated
- devised
- concocted
- designed
- hatched
- compassed
- manipulated
- maneuvered
- jockeyed
- put up
- shaped
- brewed
- mapped
- counterplotted
- cooked (up)
- laid out
- framed
2
as in collaborated
to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end foul weather and airline foul-ups seemed to be conspiring to ruin our vacation Synonyms & Similar Words
- collaborated
- cooperated
- united
- leagued
- concerted
- connived
- played ball
- joined
- concurred
- conjoined
- pulled together
- combined
- made common cause
- allied
- teamed (up)
- confederated
- banded (together)
- affiliated
- interfaced
- hung together
- associated