collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose

acting in collusion with the enemy

collusive

kə-ˈlü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

collusively adverb

Synonyms

• complicity
• connivance
• conspiracy

Examples of collusion in a Sentence

The company was acting in collusion with manufacturers to inflate prices.

there was collusion between the two companies to fix prices

Recent Examples on the Web

Sommer dismissed a felony criminal charge against Baldwin after his attorneys alleged misconduct, including alleged collusion between the prosecutor and Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputies to conceal from defense attorneys a bag of ammunition that could have been evidence in the case. —Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024

The orders are part of an effort to understand the scale of the practice, the kinds of user data that are being gathered, the ways algorithmic price adjustments might affect consumers and the question of whether collusion or other anticompetitive practices could be involved. —Webb Wright, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2024

The quarterback settled a collusion grievance case against the NFL, along with his former 49ers teammate Eric Reid, in 2019. —Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 16 Aug. 2024

The work helped fuel allegations on the right of collusion between the Biden administration and the social media industry. —Will Oremus, Washington Post, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin collusion-, collusio, from colludere — see collude

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: secret agreement or cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose

collusive

-ˈlü-siv 

-ziv

adjective

Legal Definition

collusion

noun

col·​lu·​sion kə-ˈlü-zhən 

: the act or an instance of colluding

collusive

-siv 

adjective