COLLUSIVE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

collusive

adjective

Definition of collusive

as in conspiratorial

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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 collusive The nine-month investigation documented a decade-long legal drama involving shell companies, trusts, allegedly collusive lawsuits and bankruptcy petitions. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for collusive

Adjective

That sudden ascent, for a band spiritually in league with the Velvet Underground and Suicide, led some to wonder what exactly happened behind the social media scenes to get them there (one conspiratorial phrase got thrown around in particular).

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
In our conspiratorial age, the idea that there are fine, obscure relationships between seemingly disparate things is a thought seductive on the surface but oftentimes shallow underneath.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of conspiratorial

Adjective

Bridgers’ tour restricts phones, so the reader’s account had to stand in for the clandestine photo that might otherwise have accompanied the sighting.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
The Soviet Union operated an extensive clandestine biological weapons program despite being a party to the Biological Weapons Convention.

— Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of clandestine

Adjective

This year has seen several notable incidents involving both overt and covert threats to undersea infrastructure, including Iranian efforts to impose fees on operators of undersea cables running through the contested Strait of Hormuz.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
From hippies to covert racists, psychedelics to cult-like workshop leaders, this is a world where any difference is still scrutinized and looked down on.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of covert

Adjective

Many hosts report resistance, in the forms of surreptitious card-shuffling and outright complaints.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2026
To unearth these surreptitious practices, Gamers Nexus partnered up with independent security researchers and Level1Techs.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of surreptitious

Adjective

Its top three customers (the third is undisclosed) generate 72% of its revenue in Q2, the company said.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
The work covers system development, demonstration, and integration efforts for an F-35 variant configured for an undisclosed Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of undisclosed

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

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Synonyms of collusive

adjective

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