as in Mafias
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cabals
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
With a story of secret cabals and a child born to rule, Dumont projects the nasty prejudices and bureaucratic rigors of local politics, the tangles of family allegiances, and the tender grunge of young lust into divine and diabolical clashes run from celestial and subterranean castles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
Noun
Thomas Pynchon’s latest novel, Shadow Ticket, set in 1932 Milwaukee, takes place in a landscape of industrial ghosts, strike-breakers, fascist sympathizers and absurdist cabals.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
With a story of secret cabals and a child born to rule, Dumont projects the nasty prejudices and bureaucratic rigors of local politics, the tangles of family allegiances, and the tender grunge of young lust into divine and diabolical clashes run from celestial and subterranean castles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cabals
Noun
-
Indeed, despite the appearance of calm, gangs were actively battling for territory in parts of the capital during the visit.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
-
Eaton testified that the men were involved in rival gangs — G-Mobb in south Sacramento, Garden Blocc Crips in North Sacramento and others that have battled over the decades — and crossed paths with deadly consequences at 10th and K streets.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The ash people’s perspective allies them with the group looking to strip-mine Pandora’s resources.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Eight people were indicted for allegedly being involved in conspiracies to threaten university leaders, law enforcement officials and businesses.—
Elaine Rojas-Castillo,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
-
The film references popular alien conspiracies such as Roswell and Nixon-Gleason, suggesting that there is perhaps some truth to them.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
That advantage was in large part offset by payments from UEFA’s ‘value pillar’, a mechanism which awards clubs money based upon their coefficient ranking (determined by past performance in European competition) and the size of their nation’s broadcast rights deal for the competition.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
-
Their top-30 visits, where NFL clubs host prospects at their facilities to gather further intel, are often smokescreens.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Alongside that, South Africa’s police force has been embroiled in scandal, accused of corruption and collusion with criminal syndicates.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
Applying terrorism designations to criminal syndicates, Brazilian officials say, conflicts with domestic legal definitions and risks blurring distinctions underpinning international counterterrorism law.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Union regularly collaborates with stylist Thomas Christos Kikis, who also counts Rachel McAdams and Sophia Richie Grainge among his high-profile clientele.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
-
The next time your computer powers up instantly, your paycheck arrives electronically, your team collaborates across time zones or your work helps another person solve a problem, pause for a moment.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Growing counter-drone demand The Australian contract comes as militaries worldwide increase investment in layered counter-UAS networks.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
-
The company has been pursuing eliminating its entire legacy copper landline system across the state to replace it with advanced fiber optic networks.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The event consists of live music, competition events such as highland dancing and sheepdog trials, food vendors and educational classes on what Scottish clans are.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
Publishers Coolabi Group and Chinese online giant Tencent Video have greenlit the series, adapted from Erin Hunter’s novels about battling clans of feral cats, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cabals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cabals. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
