as in Mafia
a group involved in secret or criminal activities
a conspiracy theory about the existence of an international cabal devoted to world domination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to club
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cabal
Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2019
Powell is drawing encouragement from the significant losses of candidates who, like Burton, are backed by the Empower Texans cabal attempting to take control of the Texas Legislature.
—Richard Greene, star-telegram, 24 May 2018
Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
Underground a cabal of uber wealthy CEOs has created a version of Eden, or More’s Utopia, just in case the world falls apart.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cabal
Noun
Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue, and corruption.
—Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2019
Powell is drawing encouragement from the significant losses of candidates who, like Burton, are backed by the Empower Texans cabal attempting to take control of the Texas Legislature.
—Richard Greene, star-telegram, 24 May 2018
Verb
Second, Donald Trump was recruited in a secret campaign to dismantle the cabal.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
Underground a cabal of uber wealthy CEOs has created a version of Eden, or More’s Utopia, just in case the world falls apart.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cabal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cabal
Noun
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Snuffy is the nickname of Manuel Quintero, alleged by Los Angeles County prosecutors to be a member of the Mexican Mafia, a group of about 140 men who rule over Southern California’s Latino street gangs.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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Cockney con man Michael Caine, recently released from the clink, puts together a truly ludicrous heist to steal $4 million in Mafia gold bullion from the middle of Turin using Mini Coopers.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Verb
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During a three-game series at Daikin Park, the Houston Astros right fielder clubbed two home runs, totaled four hits and drove in five runs.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
5 July 2025
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Austin Wells homered later in the inning, and the Yankees ultimately won, 20-9, while clubbing a franchise-record nine home runs with a lineup full of torpedo bats.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In the ’90s, the Clinton administration began deporting Salvadoran immigrants convicted of crimes in the U.S. back to their homeland, a move that helped propel the rise of powerful gangs in a country that was institutionally weak after years of war.—
Carolina A. Miranda,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2025
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Martinez Estrella remained convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy and gang assault.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
Verb
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The broadcasts have become dominated by heavy-handed sports gambling ads — an industry that leagues and teams alike have embraced — and the halftime show is pushing prop bets to the masses.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
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Later, a brief one-on-one match between Will and league up-and-coming superstar Mane Attraction is shown.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Noun
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And multiple members of the Trump Administration have promoted antisemitic conspiracies and associated with antisemitic extremists.—
Tom Dreisbach,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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Martinez Estrella remained convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy and gang assault.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
Verb
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Weekly analysis and insights from Asia’s largest economy in your inbox Subscribe now On Wednesday, Li urged global business leaders and senior government representatives to collaborate and avoid turning trade into a political or security issue.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
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More Michael Tran/FilmMagic His experience echoes decades of collaborating on films like Jurassic Park, Avatar and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.—
Gabriel Snyder,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Struggling Gatekeepers: In the face of some $44 billion a year in pig-butchering scams conducted by Asian crime syndicates, U.S. banks have failed to prevent mass scale money laundering.—
Cezary Podkul,
ProPublica,
25 June 2025
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Thailand earlier this year implemented measures to crack down on online scam operations in neighboring Myanmar, severing electricity, internet and gas supplies to border towns where the syndicates were based.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla and the owner of X, is closely allied with the U.S. administration, having donated more than a quarter-billion dollars to help elect Trump.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 June 2025
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Submarine production has become a Pentagon priority because of growing U.S. and allied concerns over China’s rapid naval expansion and its aggressive moves in the Indo-Pacific.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cabal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cabal. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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