syndicate

1 of 2

noun

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-di-kət 

1

a

: a council or body of syndics

b

: the office or jurisdiction of a syndic

2

: an association of persons officially authorized to undertake a duty or negotiate business

3

a

: a group of persons or concerns who combine to carry out a particular transaction or project

b

: cartel sense 2

c

: a loose association of racketeers in control of organized crime

4

: a business concern that sells materials for publication in a number of newspapers or periodicals simultaneously

5

: a group of newspapers under one management

syndicate

2 of 2

verb

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-də-ˌkāt 

syndicated; syndicating

transitive verb

1

: to subject to or manage as a syndicate

2

a

: to sell (something, such as a cartoon) to a syndicate or for publication in many newspapers or periodicals at once

also : to sell the work of (someone, such as a writer) in this way

a syndicated columnist

b

: to sell (something, such as a series of television programs) directly to local stations

intransitive verb

: to unite to form a syndicate

syndicator

ˈsin-də-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of syndicate

Noun

• Mafia
• gang
• network
• conspiracy
• crew
• mob

Examples of syndicate in a Sentence

Noun

A syndicate owns the company.

a powerful banking syndicate that controls loans in the small country

Verb

The company syndicates her work.

The company syndicated the show to local stations.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But Goldman’s syndicate desk knows little about retail. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 31 May 2026

Lucky Number Slevin, a movie about mistaken identity, rival crime syndicates, and assassins, was, for some reason (Josh Hartnett), one of the comfort movies of my childhood. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 1 July 2026

Verb

The first of its kind in a daily newspaper, it was syndicated and later widely imitated. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026

The Chad Hasty Show on the Lubbock station aired every afternoon and was syndicated throughout Texas. — Saul Pink, San Antonio Express-News, 2 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French syndicat, from syndic

First Known Use

Noun

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

syndicate

1 of 2 noun

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-di-kət 

1

: an association of persons involved in some official duty or business

2

: an association of people involved in organized crime

3

: a business concern that sells materials for publication at the same time in a number of newspapers or magazines

syndicate

2 of 2 verb

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-də-ˌkāt 

syndicated; syndicating

1

: to operate as a syndicate

2

: to sell (as a cartoon) for publication in several newspapers or magazines at once

also : to sell the work of (as a writer) in this way

a syndicated columnist

3

: to join to form a syndicate

syndication

ˌsin-də-ˈkā-shən 

noun

syndicator

ˈsin-də-ˌkāt-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

syndicate

1 of 2 noun

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-di-kət 

1

: a group organized to carry out a particular transaction or enterprise

2

: an association of organized criminals

syndicate

2 of 2 verb

syn·​di·​cate ˈsin-di-ˌkāt 

syndicated; syndicating

transitive verb

: to form or manage as or through a syndicate

a syndicated tax shelter

intransitive verb

: to unite to form a syndicate

syndication

ˌsin-di-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Etymology

Noun

French syndicat the office or jurisdiction of a syndic