conspiracy
B2Formal to neutral; commonly used in news, legal, political, and everyday critical discourse.
Definition
Meaning
A secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful, illegal, or against authority.
A belief or theory that events or situations are secretly coordinated by powerful, hidden forces, especially when based on little or no evidence. Also used in legal contexts (conspiracy to commit a crime).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly associated with secrecy, illegality, and collaboration. Often implies deception of the public or authorities. In modern usage, it frequently collocates with 'theory', forming a compound term with distinct connotations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally prevalent in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations. The phrase 'conspiracy theory' carries the same pejorative sense of an unfounded belief in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both UK and US English, given its prominence in political and media discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[conspiracy] + to-infinitive (conspiracy to defraud)[conspiracy] + of + noun (conspiracy of silence)be + involved in + [conspiracy]hatch/plot/uncover a [conspiracy]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A conspiracy of silence (an agreement to keep something secret)”
- “A conspiracy of circumstances (an unlikely combination of events)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to illegal agreements like price-fixing or insider trading (e.g., 'a conspiracy to rig bids').
Academic
Used in history, political science, and sociology to analyze secret collaborations and the social phenomenon of conspiracy theories.
Everyday
Commonly used to discuss suspicions about hidden plots in politics, entertainment, or community events.
Technical
A specific legal charge where two or more persons agree to commit a criminal offence.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The officials were accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
American English
- The executives conspired to fix prices across the industry.
adjective
British English
- He was known for his conspiratorial whisper when sharing office gossip.
American English
- She gave me a conspiratorial wink, signaling our shared secret.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children made a conspiracy to surprise their teacher.
- The police discovered a conspiracy to steal the famous painting.
- Many people believe in a conspiracy behind the sudden change in government policy.
- The historian debunked the elaborate conspiracy theory, demonstrating its factual inaccuracies and logical fallacies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CON + SPIRACY. 'Con' makes you think of 'confidence trick' (a trick), and 'spiracy' sounds like 'spies'. A trick by spies is a secret, harmful plan.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A STAGE (with hidden actors pulling strings); KNOWLEDGE IS LIGHT (conspiracies operate in darkness/secrecy).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'conspiracy theory' as 'теория заговора' when you mean an unfounded belief; in English, the phrase itself often implies a lack of credibility.
- Do not use 'conspiracy' for a simple 'agreement' or 'plan' without the elements of secrecy and ill intent.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'They made a conspiracy for a party.' Correct: 'They made a plan for a party.' (Conspiracy is too strong).
- Incorrect: 'a conspiracy about climate change.' More idiomatic: 'a conspiracy theory about climate change.'
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, what is the minimum number of people required for a conspiracy?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Conspiracy' often has a stronger legal or formal connotation and emphasizes the secret agreement itself. 'Plot' focuses more on the details of the plan and can be used in both serious and fictional contexts (e.g., a novel's plot).
In contemporary usage, yes. It almost always implies the theory is unfounded, paranoid, or not accepted by mainstream experts, though the person believing it may not see it that way.
Very rarely. Its core meaning involves harmful or illegal intent. A 'conspiracy of kindness' would be a humorous or poetic deviation from its standard meaning.
The adjective is 'conspiratorial'. It describes behaviour typical of conspirators, such as secretive whispering or knowing glances (e.g., 'a conspiratorial tone').