conspire

verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspī(-ə)r 

conspired; conspiring

transitive verb

: plot, contrive

intransitive verb

1

a

: to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or an act which becomes unlawful as a result of the secret agreement

accused of conspiring to overthrow the government

conspired to monopolize and restrict trade

b

: scheme

2

: to act in harmony toward a common end

Circumstances conspired to defeat his efforts.

… the sun and the wind conspired to make splinters out of solid wood.

—B. J. Oliphant

Synonyms

• plot
• scheme

Examples of conspire in a Sentence

conspired to replace the leader with someone more easily influenced

foul weather and airline foul-ups seemed to be conspiring to ruin our vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

The death of Daniel Park, the Washington state man accused of conspiring to bomb a fertility clinic in California, is being investigated as a suicide, according to Park's former defense attorney. —Scott MacFarlane 6, CBS News, 6 July 2025

An indictment accuses Abrego Garcia of conspiring to bring immigrants into the United States illegally from various Central and South American countries. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 July 2025

Following a three-day trial in November, a Tennessee jury convicted him of conspiring to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and influencing a federal official by threat. —Ella Lee, The Hill, 2 July 2025

He is charged with conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, four counts of alien smuggling for profit, and four counts of alien smuggling resulting in death. —Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French conspirer, from Latin conspirare to be in harmony, conspire, from com- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for conspire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

conspire

verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspī(ə)r 

conspired; conspiring

1

: to agree secretly to do an unlawful act : plot

conspiring to overthrow the dictator

2

: to act together

delays and the weather conspired to spoil our vacation

Legal Definition

conspire

intransitive verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspīr 

conspired; conspiring

: to join in a conspiracy compare solicit

Etymology

Latin conspirare to be in harmony, to join in an unlawful agreement, from com- together + spirare to breathe