CABALS Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

cabals 1 of 2

noun

plural of cabal

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

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cabals

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cabal

as in allies

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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

Noun

Increasingly, his mind was preoccupied with extremist views and conspiracy theories, including secret government cabals and false-flag operations. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 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

Artisanal weapons and revolvers have been increasingly relegated to rural areas, smaller criminal groups and individuals, while over the past two years gangs have been procuring larger numbers of more lethal weaponry.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Payments to these gangs in drugs developed local markets that further increased the violence, and the authorities felt overwhelmed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of gangs

Verb

After hearing a mysterious radio transmission, Hig becomes fixated on seeking more survivors and sets out on a mission that allies him with Cima (Margaret Qualley) and her father (Guy Pearce).

— Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
But the rub this time is the introduction of Varang (Oona Chaplin), an unhinged leader of a tribe who allies herself with human villains.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of allies

Noun

What always entertains me so much about those types of conspiracies is that reality is just as crazy.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
But in recent years, Brand has publicly pivoted to an influencer and podcaster focused on spirituality and heavily leaning toward anti-government conspiracies.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of conspiracies

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

Definition of clubs

Noun

Most crime syndicates were more welcoming to Korean recruits, for example, than mainstream corporations were.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Ramaphosa announced that soldiers would be deployed to support police in tackling gang violence, as the government steps up its fight against criminal syndicates.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of syndicates

Verb

And Jeremy Allen White is Jeff Horwitz, the Wall Street Journal tech reporter with whom Haugen collaborates on an explosive series of articles informally titled The Facebook Files, exposing the toxic culture behind the company’s stratospheric reach.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
She was shortlisted for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2019 and collaborates regularly with JW Anderson on bespoke ceramic commissions and works.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of collaborates

Noun

Faisal Munir, president of mission-critical communications at L3Harris, said the partnership combines complementary technologies with resilient networks.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
The contest of networks will be nearly global, waged in multiple domains, with huge stakes riding on the outcome.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of networks

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“Cabals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cabals. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of cabals

noun

verb

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