# collusion

/kəˈɫuʒən/ (US) · /kəlˈuːʒən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collusion
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. secret illegal cooperation

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a secret plan between people or companies to do something dishonest or illegal.

For teachers: a secret agreement or cooperation for a fraudulent or illegal purpose; conspiracy.

- The two companies were accused of collusion to keep prices high for customers.
- The investigation uncovered evidence of collusion between the regulators and the very companies they were supposed to be monitoring.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'with'.

Teaching tip: Learners should note that collusion always implies a level of secrecy and dishonesty; it is never used for positive cooperation.

### 2. fake competition

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

when groups that should be competing secretly work together to gain an unfair advantage.

For teachers: a private arrangement between groups that maintain a public appearance of competition or non-cooperation.

- The two political parties were in collusion to prevent a third candidate from winning.
- Economists warned that the lack of price variation suggested collusion among the major airlines rather than a healthy competitive market.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the abstract concept; countable when referring to specific instances.

Teaching tip: This sense is common in business and political journalism to describe 'rigged' systems.

## Examples

- The two companies were accused of price-fixing collusion.
- Investors lost money because of the collusion between the bank and the insurance firm.
- The scandal revealed a deep collusion between corporate executives and government regulators, undermining public trust in the market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.