as in syndicates
a number of businesses or enterprises united for commercial advantage
a cartel of oil-producing nations that controls production and influences prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cartels
For example, the Mexican government declared war on the cartels in 2006 and tasked the military with prosecuting counter-drug operations, only to see those very same cartels get even more violent in their response.
—
Daniel Depetris, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
In the 1980s, The War on Drugs was in full swing, and the FBI was willing to try risky covert techniques to break up the cartels.
—Greg Hanlon, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
The docuseries explores the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, from walk-on to the National Championship-winning USC football team to cocaine kingpin for one of the world’s most dangerous cartels.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 20 Sep. 2025
This can be seen in how Trump called for the designation of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in 2020.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Cocaine production in Colombia has soared as the government takes a hands-off approach to coca cultivation, fueling a wave of violence across Latin America as cartels vie for control of trafficking routes.
—semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump signed a secret directive this summer ordering the Pentagon to use deadly force against Latin American drug cartels, which his administration have identified as terrorist organizations.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
Green Berets and Army Rangers have been busted trafficking cocaine on military planes, dealing drugs at Fort Bragg, working for Mexican cartels, stealing military weapons, committing murders for hire, and carrying out at least two mass shootings.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Patel said cartels should be confronted with the same urgency as al Qaeda after 9/11 and pledged years of sustained action.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Daniel Depetris, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
In the 1980s, The War on Drugs was in full swing, and the FBI was willing to try risky covert techniques to break up the cartels.
—Greg Hanlon, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
The docuseries explores the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, from walk-on to the National Championship-winning USC football team to cocaine kingpin for one of the world’s most dangerous cartels.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 20 Sep. 2025
This can be seen in how Trump called for the designation of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in 2020.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Cocaine production in Colombia has soared as the government takes a hands-off approach to coca cultivation, fueling a wave of violence across Latin America as cartels vie for control of trafficking routes.
—semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Trump signed a secret directive this summer ordering the Pentagon to use deadly force against Latin American drug cartels, which his administration have identified as terrorist organizations.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
Green Berets and Army Rangers have been busted trafficking cocaine on military planes, dealing drugs at Fort Bragg, working for Mexican cartels, stealing military weapons, committing murders for hire, and carrying out at least two mass shootings.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Patel said cartels should be confronted with the same urgency as al Qaeda after 9/11 and pledged years of sustained action.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels
Noun
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The franchise sees Rambo — haunted by his time at war but equipped with superior military skills — using his expertise against corrupt police officers, crime syndicates, and enemy troops.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
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Behind these scams, according to the Commission's findings, Chinese crime syndicates have aligned themselves with Beijing's geopolitical agenda.—
Mike Kuiken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Since the nineties, it had been assumed that the web would democratize society, empowering bloggers to compete with media conglomerates, and small manufacturers to bypass big retailers.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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Famously, Giorgio Armani was one of the last independent designers not part of the luxury conglomerates system.—
Kanika Talwar,
Footwear News,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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