complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈpli-s(ə-)tē 

plural complicities

1

: association or participation in or as if in a wrongful act

arrested for complicity in the crime

2

: an instance of complicity

The two share a complicity she calls fraternal.

—Joan Dupont

Synonyms

• collusion
• connivance
• conspiracy

Examples of complicity in a Sentence

There's no proof of her complicity in the murder.

He acted with his brother's complicity.

Recent Examples on the Web

Portillo focuses on the testimonies of the families of the victims to unravel the layers of complicity that allowed these murders to continue. —Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 21 Apr. 2024

The ongoing lack of gender and racial diversity, self-examination, and historical knowledge within the medical profession has led to a complicity in the acceptance of suffering, particularly for certain groups. —Dr. Sharon Malone, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024

All the while, world leaders elsewhere, even allies, are scolding the United States for its complicity in the ongoing crisis. —Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024

Those who have somehow managed to avert their eyes from the many crises abroad rather than look upon Biden’s works and despair depend on the national media’s complicity to preserve their happy ignorance. —Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 Mar. 2024

Most figures of consequence in the show — the doctors, their patients, their craven pharmaceutical company investor — are women, suggesting that this whole problematic system can be regenerated by the complicity and visibility of female stakeholders. —Amanda Hess, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024

What won’t change: the complicity between artist and sitter. —Mark Holgate, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2024

Martine Moïse and Joseph are accused of complicity and criminal association. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2024

Her larger theme is the complicity of the Filipino public in Duterte’s lawlessness. —Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French complicité, borrowed from New Latin complicitāt-, complicitās, formed from Late Latin complic-, complex "fellow-participant, partner, accomplice" and Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity, probably after Late Latin duplicitās duplicity — more at complice

Note: The formation of the word is peculiar in that Latin -itāt-, -itās, along with its descendants and borrowings, is rarely added to nouns. Outside of the dictionaries of Thomas Blount and Elisha Coles, complicity is rare to non-existent in English text before the later eighteenth century, when its adoption was probably stimulated by French complicité.

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplis-ət-ē 

plural complicities

: association or participation in a wrongful act