Word
conspiring
Phoneticscon·spir·ing
US/kənˈspaɪɹɪŋ/
UK/kənspˈaɪəɹɪŋ/
Definition
v. planning secretly with other people to do something harmful or illegal. Sometimes it feels like events or luck are working together against you.
v. planning secretly with others to commit an unlawful or harmful act. When applied to inanimate objects or circumstances, it suggests a figurative coordination of events toward a negative outcome.
Examples
“They were arrested for conspiring to steal the paintings.”
“The two rival companies were caught conspiring to fix prices and drive out smaller competitors.”
“The defense argued that while the defendants shared a common goal, there was no evidence of them actively conspiring to subvert the regulatory process through illegal means.”
Examples
simple
“They were arrested for conspiring to steal the paintings.”
contextual
“The two rival companies were caught conspiring to fix prices and drive out smaller competitors.”
complex
“The defense argued that while the defendants shared a common goal, there was no evidence of them actively conspiring to subvert the regulatory process through illegal means.”
Usage
Often takes the preposition 'with' for accomplices and 'to' or 'against' for the objective.
Pitfall
conspiring for do it
conspiring to do it
When followed by an action, the verb requires the to-infinitive rather than the preposition 'for'.
Real-World Examples
“On Thursday, Tunisia’s Court of Cassation upheld a mass trial against 40 figures, including opposition leaders, lawyers and human rights defenders convicted of conspiring to overthrow Saied.” “Ross has been charged with conspiring to distribute a controlled substance.”