1
as in winking
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 plotting
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
as in connivance
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of conniving
Judy Berman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Somehow, the upper hand never lingers long with Sally and Barnaby, drolly played by Gunning and Corden as a conniving Tweedledee and Tweedledum, loyal to no one and convinced their venality is justified by their father’s history of terrible parenting.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Each episode was guaranteed to feature a conniving scheme, a shocking betrayal, and some steamy-for-its-time smooching.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
This conniving force of darkness is pretty simple at a basic level.
—Vivian Tu, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Through Laura’s protective eyes, this striver who has gotten her claws into Daniel is conniving, hypersexual, possibly a thief, definitely a liar.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Somehow, the upper hand never lingers long with Sally and Barnaby, drolly played by Gunning and Corden as a conniving Tweedledee and Tweedledum, loyal to no one and convinced their venality is justified by their father’s history of terrible parenting.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Each episode was guaranteed to feature a conniving scheme, a shocking betrayal, and some steamy-for-its-time smooching.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
This conniving force of darkness is pretty simple at a basic level.
—Vivian Tu, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conniving
Verb
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Camera flashes burst against the walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, framing Blade Runner–esque vistas of the flickering skyline, a winking reminder that New York City is always wide awake.—
Alex Catarinella,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Scruffy City is a moniker the place holds with equal parts pride and winking good humor.—
Caroline Rogers,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In February, four Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe went on trial in Berlin in what prosecutors described as the first court case against militants of the Palestinian group in Germany.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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In December 2023, German and Dutch law enforcement arrested four people accused of plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Or secretly despise his own connivance?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
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In addition, senior executives could be held personally liable when offences involve their consent, connivance or neglect.—
Jamie Hailstone,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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And while everyone has their own preferred ways of watching a game, ignoring the little things is an easy way to miss greatness.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Within less than a year, the Sheriff’s Office had issued corrective action notices to NaphCare for failing to pay outside hospitals and medical specialists, using unlicensed staff and ignoring requests to replace broken medical equipment, among other deficiencies.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Flores is excellent at scheming exotic blitzes and disguising pressure.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
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Game prediction Kansas City’s defense is clicking, and Steve Spanguolo is known for scheming against dynamic offenses.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Droney found there was no collusion, saying league officials presenting economic information to owners is not indicative of collusion.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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In the United Kingdom, regulators warned that AI systems used in energy markets could unintentionally enable tacit collusion between suppliers.—
Gopinath Kathiresan,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Where other projects have found success discussing the same notions bleakly, Etzler trusts his sardonic approach will tempt audiences to let their guards down and allow the subject matter to resonate, perhaps looking inward at their own complicity in the process.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
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Slowly, as the curtain lifts on the institution’s insane practices and the complicity of the town at large, the narrative reaches a wild conclusion that defies expectation.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Its strategy was similar to the fight against Mexican cartels and Colombian narcoguerillas.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Conniving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conniving. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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