cartel
4 synonyms for cartel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A group of businesses or organisations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
How to use cartel
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
drug cartel
oil cartel
break up a cartel
Etymology
Borrowed from German Kartell in the 19th century, itself from French cartel, ultimately from Italian cartello ("placard"), from Latin charta.
Full origin of cartel →Frequently asked questions
What does “cartel” mean?
The word “cartel” means a group of businesses or organisations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition. In plain terms, a group that colludes to control a market or industry, legally (in business) or illegally (as with drug cartels).
How do you pronounce “cartel”?
“Cartel” is pronounced kah-TEHL (/kɑɹˈtɛl/ in IPA).
How do you use “cartel” in a sentence?
Here is “cartel” used in a sentence: “The oil cartel agreed to cut production to raise prices.”
What part of speech is “cartel”?
“Cartel” is a noun.
Where does the word “cartel” come from?
The word “cartel” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Latin. Borrowed from German Kartell in the 19th century, itself from French cartel, ultimately from Italian cartello ("placard"), from Latin charta.
Is “cartel” a common word?
“Cartel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between a cartel and a monopoly?
A cartel is a group of separate businesses or organizations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition, while a monopoly is a single company that dominates a market without needing to collude with others. Cartels rely on agreement among competitors, whereas monopolies achieve control through market dominance alone.
Is forming a cartel legal?
Cartels are generally illegal in most countries because they exist to secretly fix prices or restrict competition, which harms consumers and violates antitrust or competition laws.
What is an example of what a cartel does?
A cartel might involve several businesses secretly agreeing to set the same high prices or to divide up markets between themselves, rather than competing against each other.
