Word
conspire
Phoneticscon·spire
US/kənˈspaɪɝ/
UK/kənspˈaɪə/
Definition
v. to secretly plan to do something, especially something illegal or harmful. It can also mean that several things happen together to cause a specific result.
v. to act in secret to commit an illegal or harmful act; alternatively, to act in a way that produces a specific, often negative, result. Often used intransitively with 'against' or 'to'.
Examples
“The two companies conspired to fix the prices of their products.”
“The heavy rain and the broken bridge conspired to make the journey to the mountain village nearly impossible.”
“While the two rivals were known to have conspired against the king, the actual execution of the plot was carried out by a third party acting in the shadows.”
Examples
simple
“The two companies conspired to fix the prices of their products.”
contextual
“The heavy rain and the broken bridge conspired to make the journey to the mountain village nearly impossible.”
complex
“While the two rivals were known to have conspired against the king, the actual execution of the plot was carried out by a third party acting in the shadows.”
Real-World Examples
“If you conspire to arrange a gangland murder, you should face the prospect of spending the rest of your life behind bars.” “In a last-ditch effort to save the monarchy, a group of elites, including the czar’s first cousin , conspired to murder Rasputin on December 30, 1916.” Etymology
From Middle English conspiren, from Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare, conspīrō, from con- (combining form of cum (“with”)) + spīrō (“breathe”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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