verb
conspire
kuhn-SPEYE-uh
Conspire (verb) means to plan something harmful or illegal secretly with others. Example: “They were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government.”
verb
1
To plan something harmful or illegal secretly with others.
"They were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government."
"Two employees conspired to steal company funds."
2
To combine or work together to bring about a particular outcome, often used of circumstances rather than people.
"Bad weather and poor planning conspired to ruin the trip."
How to use conspire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo secretly plan something with others, or for several factors to combine against you.
Common pairings
conspire against
conspire to
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- conspires
- Past tense
- conspired
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Two employees _____ to steal company funds.
Etymology
From Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare — con- ("together") plus spirare ("to breathe"), suggesting people "breathing as one."
Related words
Rhymes for conspire
See all rhymes for conspire →Frequently asked questions
What does “conspire” mean?
The word “conspire” means to plan something harmful or illegal secretly with others. In plain terms, to secretly plan something with others, or for several factors to combine against you.
How do you pronounce “conspire”?
“Conspire” is pronounced kuhn-SPEYE-uh (/kənˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “conspire” in a sentence?
Here is “conspire” used in a sentence: “Two employees conspired to steal company funds.”
What part of speech is “conspire”?
“Conspire” is a verb.
Where does the word “conspire” come from?
The word “conspire” comes from Latin. From Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare — con- ("together") plus spirare ("to breathe"), suggesting people "breathing as one.".
How many meanings does “conspire” have?
“Conspire” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to plan something harmful or illegal secretly with others.
