conspires; conspired; conspiring
1
: to secretly plan with someone to do something that is harmful or illegal
—often followed by to + verb
They were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government.
She conspired with him to smuggle the paintings out of the country.
—often + againstHe thought that they were conspiring against him.
2
: to happen in a way that produces bad or unpleasant results
—often followed by to + verb
My illness and the bad weather conspired to ruin my vacation.
Several things conspired to force them to change the policy.
—often + againstThe organizer of the festival thinks the weather has conspired against him.
Cite this Entry
“Conspire.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/conspire. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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