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

There's no proof of his complicity in the crime.

2

: an instance of complicity

The two share a complicity she calls fraternal.

—Joan Dupont

Synonyms of complicity

• conspiracy
• collusion
• connivance

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

The Ocoee Massacre teaches us that democracy is fragile — and that silence is complicity. —Debbie Deland, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026

The complicity [with Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos] is happening, and then the rug is pulled out, and suddenly, what was a kind of a party turns into almost a rally. —Chris Willman, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026

Ultimately, Banis was found guilty of complicity to murder, robbery, tampering with evidence, possession of counterfeit money, possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. —Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Feb. 2026

Kraszyk and Lupton declined to comment on Fleming’s conduct and their alleged complicity. —Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for complicity

• basicity
• chronicity
• cyclicity
• duplicity
• ethnicity
• facticity
• felicity
• helicity
• plasticity
• publicity
• rusticity
• simplicity

Kids Definition

complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplis-ət-ē 

plural complicities

: association or participation in a wrongful act