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

• 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

Deputies Alex Caminero, 38, and James Gregory Gardner, 52, conspired with each other to sneak about six grams of fentanyl into the 5501 College Road facility, the sheriff’s office said. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025

Desrochers, and other former MPRM leadership, including Defendant Caitlin McGee Swartz, conspired to raid MPRM’s employees and clients while they were still employed by MPRM. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025

Investigators have yet to confirm whether any participants aided or conspired in Kirk's assassination. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025

Woolard in 2006 was indicted for conspiring with a Kansas City charter school president in a mortgage and investment fraud scheme that used fake loan documents, inflated appraisals and a sham housing project to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors. —Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 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