as in conspiracy
a secret agreement or cooperation between two parties for an illegal or dishonest purpose
the two major auction houses acting in complicity to drive up the prices of art works
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Recent Examples of complicity
He was sentenced in January 2024 to 25 years, following his guilty plea to counts including complicity to murder.
—
Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2026
According to analysts, the growth of scam states has been rapid and systemic, driven by sophisticated technology, weak law enforcement, and political tolerance or complicity.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
The Alabama Solution is also a study of complicity.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s the sweeping angle of [Yasmin’s] complicity in her own exploitation, [with] the line of that being gossamer-thin with the idea of Haley being an escort, who’s chosen that life for herself.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complicity
Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2026
According to analysts, the growth of scam states has been rapid and systemic, driven by sophisticated technology, weak law enforcement, and political tolerance or complicity.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
The Alabama Solution is also a study of complicity.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
There’s the sweeping angle of [Yasmin’s] complicity in her own exploitation, [with] the line of that being gossamer-thin with the idea of Haley being an escort, who’s chosen that life for herself.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complicity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicity
Noun
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Alfortish had been disbarred after pleading guilty, in 2011, to a conspiracy charge relating to his tenure as the president of a nonprofit, the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which advocates on behalf of professionals in the horse-racing business.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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They were also charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, endangerment and possession of explosives.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Legislature must pass New York for All and other protections that make clear that New York will end collusion with ICE.—
Evangeline Chan,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The report, originally produced under then-Chairman Devin Nunes, examined the intelligence community’s handling of Russian collusion claims.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Individuals and groups have often accused the U.S. government of denying their rights, and some of those accusations were irrefutable—as in the century between Appomattox and Selma, when the rights of Black Americans were denied throughout the South with the connivance of Washington.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
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But widespread disgust with the mayor’s mendacity and the connivance of eight City Council members is changing the political landscape.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complicity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicity. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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