conspire

verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspī(-ə)r 

conspired; conspiring

transitive verb

: plot, contrive

intransitive verb

1

a

: to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or an act which becomes unlawful as a result of the secret agreement

accused of conspiring to overthrow the government

conspired to monopolize and restrict trade

b

: scheme

2

: to act in harmony toward a common end

Circumstances conspired to defeat his efforts.

… the sun and the wind conspired to make splinters out of solid wood.

—B. J. Oliphant

Synonyms of conspire

• plot
• scheme

Examples of conspire in a Sentence

conspired to replace the leader with someone more easily influenced

foul weather and airline foul-ups seemed to be conspiring to ruin our vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

Somewhere around the seventh inning, the gaggle of small children in the house conspired, without adult aid or input, to turn off the lights in a bedroom, plug in a strobe light, cue up a trance song on the speaker, and begin to mosh. —Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025

The defendant had initially been charged with two counts of conspiring to create and distribute animal crush videos, but prosecutors agreed to reduce that to just one count in exchange for a guilty plea from Morelli. —Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025

In December 2019, Hunter pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to misuse campaign funds. —David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025

Before trial, Brosius pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud with the brothers and faces sentencing in November. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French conspirer, from Latin conspirare to be in harmony, conspire, from com- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for conspire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

conspire

verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspī(ə)r 

conspired; conspiring

1

: to agree secretly to do an unlawful act : plot

conspiring to overthrow the dictator

2

: to act together

delays and the weather conspired to spoil our vacation

Legal Definition

conspire

intransitive verb

con·​spire kən-ˈspīr 

conspired; conspiring

: to join in a conspiracy compare solicit

Etymology

Latin conspirare to be in harmony, to join in an unlawful agreement, from com- together + spirare to breathe