William Oscar Johnson and Albert KimRobert HughesDavid Sirota
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Collude Has Latin Roots
Colluding—working secretly with others to do something deceitful or illegal—is not a game, but you'd never know it if you took your cues on the meaning of collude solely from its etymology. Collude comes from the Latin verb colludere, which in turn combines the prefix com-, meaning "together," and the verb ludere, "to play." Ludere, in turn, comes from ludus, meaning "game, play, or sport." (Ludus is also the source of the adjective ludicrous and the noun interlude). Collude has a related noun—collusion—which carries the specific meaning "secret agreement or cooperation." Despite their playful history, collude and collusion have always suggested illicit trickery rather than good-natured fun.
Examples of collude in a Sentence
CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
To defeat the threat of a surging left, businessmen and nationalists colluded to countenance domestic culture wars, xenophobic nationalism, the erosion of constitutional norms, and outright violence, ultimately naming Hitler, a vulgar racist, as national executive.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Lai, one of the CCP’s most vocal critics, had pleaded not guilty to two charges of colluding with foreign forces under the national security law, as well as a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025
He was found guilty of two charges of colluding with foreign forces under the national security law, as well as a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials under legislation from Hong Kong’s time as a British colony.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for collude
Cite this Entry
“Collude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collude. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
collude
intransitive verb
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