1
as in winked
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plotted
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
suspects that his coworkers are conniving to get him fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connived
Verb
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Stayton then reportedly winked and told the protester they'd be charged with a felony.—
Jolene Almendarez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Nov. 2025 -
Farther up, on Observatory Hill, tall cryptomeria trees were silhouetted in the darkening evening, and down in the valleys, lights winked on like reflections of the planets and stars appearing in the sky.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In early May, with United due to host arch-rivals Liverpool in the Premier League during a time in which Covid-19 restrictions meant fans were not allowed into stadiums, supporters plotted a huge protest around one of the most high-profile fixtures in English football.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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His path here wasn’t plotted out as brand strategy or a pivot to wellness.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So, the fact that the Illinois fireworks ban is roundly ignored by Illinoisans is not a surprise to anyone, as the night skies prove on Independence Day.—
Brad Weisenstein,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Ackerly says the lesson is simple but often ignored.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Schlossnagle schemed in the offseason to ensure the reigning SEC champs would be deeper at all positions after a 44-14 finish.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Feb. 2026
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Curtis schemed to obtain at least $600,000 over the years, and there might be other unauthorized payments exceeding $1 million, according to police.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Connived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connived. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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