conspire
C1Formal and neutral; also used in journalism, literature, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To secretly plan with others to do something unlawful or harmful.
To act jointly or combine in a way that produces a particular negative or unfortunate outcome, often as if by a secret agreement.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb implies secrecy, shared intention, and an illicit or negative goal. In its extended, figurative sense, it often describes abstract factors combining to cause a negative result.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in primary meaning or use. Spelling and pronunciation are standard.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of secrecy and illegality in both dialects.
Frequency
Similar frequency; perhaps slightly higher in political/journalistic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
conspire (with somebody) (against somebody)conspire (together) to do somethingcircumstances conspire to do somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “conspire of silence (variant of 'conspiracy of silence')”
- “Events conspire against someone.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, unless in contexts of illegal corporate collusion: 'The executives were accused of conspiring to fix prices.'
Academic
Used in historical/political studies: 'The senators conspired to assassinate the emperor.'
Everyday
Often figurative: 'Bad weather and traffic conspired to make me late.'
Technical
Used in legal contexts: 'The charge is that they conspired to commit fraud.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They conspired to overthrow the corrupt government.
- The rain and train delays conspired to ruin our bank holiday.
American English
- The rivals conspired against the common enemy.
- Economic factors conspired to cause a recession.
adverb
British English
- They acted conspiringly, whispering in the corner.
- He glanced conspiringly at his colleague.
American English
- They nodded conspiringly during the meeting.
- She smiled conspiringly, hinting at a shared secret.
adjective
British English
- The conspiring factions were discovered.
- A conspiring look passed between them.
American English
- The conspiring executives were indicted.
- He had a conspiring tone in his voice.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The thieves conspired to rob the bank.
- Bad luck conspired to make his journey difficult.
- Historians believe several generals conspired against the king.
- It seemed as if fate had conspired to bring them together under strange circumstances.
- The dissident factions conspired in secret to foment a revolution.
- A perfect storm of economic, social, and political factors conspired to undermine the regime's stability.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CON + SPIRE. Imagine a group of CON-artists secretly inSPIRE-d to do something bad together.
Conceptual Metaphor
EVIL IS A SECRET AGREEMENT; MISFORTUNE IS A CONSPIRACY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not the same as 'договариваться' (to agree/arrange) which is neutral. 'Conspire' is negative. Also distinct from 'планировать' (to plan) unless secret/illegal. False friend: 'конспирировать' exists but is very rare/formal in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for neutral collaboration (e.g., 'We conspired to organise a party.' - Incorrect). Using the wrong preposition (e.g., 'conspire for' instead of 'conspire against/to do').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'conspire' used in its most common figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost always. Its core meaning involves secret plans for unlawful or harmful acts. The figurative use ('circumstances conspired') describes negative outcomes, not positive ones.
They are close synonyms. 'Conspire' emphasises the joint, secret nature of the planning, often for serious crimes. 'Plot' can be for serious or elaborate plans. 'Scheme' can imply smaller, more cunning, or self-serving plans.
Yes, in a common figurative usage. Abstract nouns like 'events', 'circumstances', or 'factors' can be said to 'conspire' to cause a particular (usually bad) outcome.
The main noun form is 'conspiracy' (e.g., a conspiracy theory). The related noun for a person is 'conspirator'. The rarely used noun 'conspiration' exists but is archaic.