1
as in to ignore
to secretly sympathize with or pretend ignorance of something improper or unlawful
the principal connived at all the school absences that were recorded on the day of the city's celebration of its Super Bowl victory
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2
as in to plot
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
suspects that his coworkers are conniving to get him fired
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Recent Examples of connive
Other passengers on the train include blue-collar worker Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok) and his pregnant wife Seong-kyeong (Jung Yu-mi), a high-school baseball team, and the conniving businessman, Yon-suk (Kim Eui-sung) whose selfishness leads to all sorts of terrible twists down the line.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Karimloo, who more often plays serious types, brings a nice bit of comic undertones to the Pirate King, and Monsoon is an absolute hoot as the needy, conniving pirate nanny.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
As the family patriarch tearfully recalls the night his boy came into the world, his conniving better half comforts him, tightly holding his hand.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 18 May 2025
Peacock’s The Traitors connived its way to a leading six nominations for the seventh annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which were revealed this morning.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for connive
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Karimloo, who more often plays serious types, brings a nice bit of comic undertones to the Pirate King, and Monsoon is an absolute hoot as the needy, conniving pirate nanny.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025
As the family patriarch tearfully recalls the night his boy came into the world, his conniving better half comforts him, tightly holding his hand.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 18 May 2025
Peacock’s The Traitors connived its way to a leading six nominations for the seventh annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which were revealed this morning.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for connive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connive
Verb
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What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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The economics are simply too compelling for businesses to ignore: A single AI system can process the workload of dozens of employees at a fraction of the usual labor cost.—
Adam Bowen,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Crucially, what matters—the criteria for selection, on which continued evolution depends—also changes, plotting a wholly novel course.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
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In 2022, a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan killed bin Laden's successor, Ayman al-Zawahri, who also helped plot 9/11.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Verb
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As promised, former Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese has shared a winking list of the 10 possible reasons he might have been fired from the band.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2025
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The album also marks a subtle sonic pivot, as the band leans further into their pop instincts and Haden’s knack for a cheeky, winking lyric.—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
Verb
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There’s going to be a queen in there trying to get the show director job, who will lie and scheme.—
Joey Nolfi Updated,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
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Of course, [opponents] are going to do their best to scheme it up.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Connive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connive. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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