1
as in to ignore
to secretly sympathize with or pretend ignorance of something improper or unlawful
the principal connived at all the school absences that were recorded on the day of the city's celebration of its Super Bowl victory
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plot
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
suspects that his coworkers are conniving to get him fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of connive
With Ryan O’Neal as the conniving fool who social-climbs and lies his way through war and peace, Kubrick matches perfectly paced, often-hilarious satire with a sanguine view of human selfishness and impermanence.
—
Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
According to legend, the monarch, his army and conniving knights were invading the Cotswolds when a witch outsmarted them, fossilizing their bodies forever.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 3 Sep. 2025
This conniving force of darkness is pretty simple at a basic level.
—Vivian Tu, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for connive
Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
According to legend, the monarch, his army and conniving knights were invading the Cotswolds when a witch outsmarted them, fossilizing their bodies forever.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 3 Sep. 2025
This conniving force of darkness is pretty simple at a basic level.
—Vivian Tu, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for connive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connive
Verb
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Premier League football in the 2000s could be dramatic and explosive, but what the nostalgia for that era ignores is the number of dour, sterile games there were, many of them settled by a goal from a set piece.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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At some point, the truth becomes impossible to ignore.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Shiz University roommates initially clash before forming a friendship, which is tested at the end of the first movie when the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), who secretly plots to silence the talking animals of Oz, comes between them.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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Casanovas and Benlloch are plotting a continued, healthy expansion.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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James later shared the ad on social media with winking and tongue-sticking-out emojis; much of his audience, however, was not so amused, and one lifelong fan even sued.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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Mesh styles made a return in pointy-toe kitten-heel pumps in neutral colors while the Babouche design was reinterpreted in a python print or black satin that winked also to comfy red carpet moments.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Return From the Ashes (1965), Eggar schemed to murder her stepmother (Ingrid Thulin), a concentration camp survivor.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
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Dissecting film and scheming up plays went from duty to obsession.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Connive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connive. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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