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
My key priorities include prosecuting violent offenders, gangs, traffickers, fentanyl dealers, and cartels; supporting local law enforcement; pursuing lawsuits to defend Texas; and aggressively investigating and prosecuting fraud.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Drones near the border are not new and have been a steady problem over several years, particularly those used by cartels.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
That easy access to the United States also has made Juarez, like other border cities, attractive to Mexico’s drug cartels seeking to safeguard their smuggling routes for drugs and migrants headed north and cash and guns moving to the south.
—Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Cavanaugh noted that Tucson is close to the southern border, where Mexican drug cartels operate.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The legality of the strikes has come under intense scrutiny as the administration has publicly presented little evidence that those killed in the ongoing operations are affiliates of drug cartels or that each of the vessels had drugs on board.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
The bill represents the most recent federal effort to cut off a key transportation channel for the global cockfighting trade, which law enforcement officials say is tied to cartels, drugs, violence and spread of avian disease.
—Tracey McManus, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The prosecutions underscore the Justice Department’s efforts to turn up the pressure on cartels and stay ahead of their sophisticated and ever-evolving tactics to launder money across the border without detection.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Experts fear the cartels’ control over the vape market could fuel sales of stronger, more harmful drugs.
—semafor.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Drones near the border are not new and have been a steady problem over several years, particularly those used by cartels.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
That easy access to the United States also has made Juarez, like other border cities, attractive to Mexico’s drug cartels seeking to safeguard their smuggling routes for drugs and migrants headed north and cash and guns moving to the south.
—Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Cavanaugh noted that Tucson is close to the southern border, where Mexican drug cartels operate.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
The legality of the strikes has come under intense scrutiny as the administration has publicly presented little evidence that those killed in the ongoing operations are affiliates of drug cartels or that each of the vessels had drugs on board.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
The bill represents the most recent federal effort to cut off a key transportation channel for the global cockfighting trade, which law enforcement officials say is tied to cartels, drugs, violence and spread of avian disease.
—Tracey McManus, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The prosecutions underscore the Justice Department’s efforts to turn up the pressure on cartels and stay ahead of their sophisticated and ever-evolving tactics to launder money across the border without detection.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Experts fear the cartels’ control over the vape market could fuel sales of stronger, more harmful drugs.
—semafor.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels
Noun
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Adams put together a portfolio of his workday doodles and sent it to several newspaper syndicates.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
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Outside the capital, guerrilla groups and organized crime syndicates are exploiting the power vacuum along Venezuela’s borders and in its resource-rich interior.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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By the Reaganite 1980s, roadside raspberry stands that had sprouted during the Summer of Love had evolved into giant farming conglomerates, with their complement of lawyers and lobbyists.—
Annie Levin,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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Iger’s shadow As if leading one of the biggest entertainment conglomerates on the planet weren’t enough, D’Amaro will be doing it all in the shadow of the Bob Iger, the executive who’s been synonymous with Disney for a quarter-century.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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