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
Manzo had stood on an anti-corruption ticket and opposition to cartels.
—
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
While administration officials have avoided overtly saying their goal is regime change — Trump has focused his public remarks on fighting drug cartels — the ultimate goal of democratizing Venezuela, and the resulting investment benefits, are front and center in investors’ minds.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
The Miami Herald reported Friday, citing unnamed officials, the potential strikes would aim to ax the hierarchy of the drug cartels in Venezuela.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2025
In the 1980s and ’90s, Colombia’s cocaine cartels controlled entire regions through intimidation, corruption and fear tactics that are nearly identical to what’s now unfolding in parts of Mexico.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
In a city like Tijuana, where law enforcement is already under-resourced and outgunned, this new aerial threat tilts the balance even further toward the cartels.
—Tania Navarro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
The White House, meanwhile, defended the new military offensive, stating that Trump is simply following through on his promises to combat cartels and, in doing so, is providing more transparency than past presidents.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Then came fentanyl in the 1950s, created not by cartels but by a doctor at his startup Janssen Pharmaceutica, which was later absorbed by Johnson & Johnson in 1961.
—Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
This designation authorizes the federal government to take further steps to deny people and entities associated with these cartels access to the United States financial system.
—Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
While administration officials have avoided overtly saying their goal is regime change — Trump has focused his public remarks on fighting drug cartels — the ultimate goal of democratizing Venezuela, and the resulting investment benefits, are front and center in investors’ minds.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
The Miami Herald reported Friday, citing unnamed officials, the potential strikes would aim to ax the hierarchy of the drug cartels in Venezuela.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2025
In the 1980s and ’90s, Colombia’s cocaine cartels controlled entire regions through intimidation, corruption and fear tactics that are nearly identical to what’s now unfolding in parts of Mexico.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
In a city like Tijuana, where law enforcement is already under-resourced and outgunned, this new aerial threat tilts the balance even further toward the cartels.
—Tania Navarro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
The White House, meanwhile, defended the new military offensive, stating that Trump is simply following through on his promises to combat cartels and, in doing so, is providing more transparency than past presidents.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Then came fentanyl in the 1950s, created not by cartels but by a doctor at his startup Janssen Pharmaceutica, which was later absorbed by Johnson & Johnson in 1961.
—Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
This designation authorizes the federal government to take further steps to deny people and entities associated with these cartels access to the United States financial system.
—Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels
Noun
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Such crackdowns attract notice from Boswell, who detects a civilian ally in his fight against local syndicates.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has disabled more than 2,500 Starlink devices in and around scam centers in Myanmar, following warnings from activists that mainly Chinese syndicates were using the technology to defraud people worldwide.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The conglomerates’ beef is now spilling into football and basketball seasons.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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Reflecting the Japanese media and entertainment industry’s new outward-looking approach, both media conglomerates are now operating production studios that are developing content aimed at international audiences.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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