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
That twist makes Frank both sympathetic and conniving, and Bale does a good job letting both aspects of his complex performance come through.
—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
The alluring but conniving Ciara (Dove Cameron) or that sexy brooder with the best wild locks ever, Oliver (Avan Jogia)?
—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Whitney, one of the most smarmy, conniving characters written into the entirety of the show, was one of Micay’s favorites to bring to life through the soundtrack.
—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Through his conniving, Heathcliff comes to own both properties.
—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for connive
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
The alluring but conniving Ciara (Dove Cameron) or that sexy brooder with the best wild locks ever, Oliver (Avan Jogia)?
—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Whitney, one of the most smarmy, conniving characters written into the entirety of the show, was one of Micay’s favorites to bring to life through the soundtrack.
—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Through his conniving, Heathcliff comes to own both properties.
—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for connive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connive
Verb
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Price is where almost every search starts, and the difference between countries is hard to ignore.
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By the time the sponsor wants to sell, the buyer sees what the sponsor ignored.
Verb
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This doesn’t mean elite parents sit around plotting class reproduction over brunch.
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He was invited by Malcolm X to stay in Harlem at the famous Hotel Theresa, where agents with ties to the FBI, CIA and the Mafia, plotted to assassinate him.
Verb
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The Baronessa winked and stated that the princess was an inspiration to others.
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His drawling, winking charm is front and center, and his attraction to our heroine feels both genuine and even quite protective, but his violent streak is so blasé as to be unnerving.
Verb
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The catastrophies that our heroine averts are awfully small potatoes — a bulldozer running amok, an amusement park ride speeding out of control, some prankish teenagers scheming to turn the girl’s shower into a steambath.
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Joining Purnell, Ora, and Haaland in the voice cast are Steve Speirs as King Erik, Anton Lesser as the scheming Lars, and Alan Carr as the Bard, an overly enthusiastic royal scribe.
Cite this Entry
“Connive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connive. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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