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colluder

colluder

8.5
A person who secretly helps others do something illegal
  • noun
  • /kəˈluːdər/
translation icon : cómplice
  • The police arrested the colluder after revealing his involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Examples

  • She denied being a colluder in the scheme, claiming she acted alone.

  • Many colluders worked together to commit the crime.

  • The authorities arrested the main colluder behind the financial fraud.

  • Investigators believe there is more than one colluder involved in the illegal operation.

  • The police arrested a colluder in the fraud case.

  • The government investigated the scheme and uncovered several colluders planning to embezzle funds.

  • During the trial, the lawyer exposed her client as a colluder with the perpetrators of the fraud.

Synonyms

accomplice
vscolluder
172 6.7

Person who helps another person commit a crime

involves secret collaboration among several people rather than single assistance
conspirator
vscolluder
36 6.2

A person who secretly plans with others to do something illegal or harmful

focuses more on secret joint action than on planning details
plotter
vscolluder
11 6.4

A person who plans a secret illegal or harmful act

emphasizes planning role while the other term covers any secret teamwork
coconspirator
vscolluder
  • Jargon
7 7.3

A person who helps plan something illegal with others

is used more generally for secret teamwork in dishonest or illegal acts
confederate
vscolluder
7 7.6

A person who works with others, often secretly, to help do something illegal

focuses on secret joint wrongdoing rather than neutral group cooperation
collaborator
vscolluder
  • Offensive
3 5.6

A person who helps someone secretly, often in a crime

is more specific to secret dishonest or illegal teaming rather than general help
conniver
vscolluder
  • Formal
1 8.4

A person who secretly plans and helps with illegal actions

prefers the idea of secret teamwork without highlighting scheming
intriguer
vscolluder
1 8.9

A person who secretly plans to trick others for personal gain

highlights personal motive and manipulation rather than shared illegal action
machinator
vscolluder
  • Formal
9.9

A person who secretly plans to harm or trick others

focuses on clever scheming rather than on plain secret cooperation

How Complicit

conspirator
36 6.2
colluder
8.5
accomplice
172 6.7
accessory
  • Specialized
59 7.7

Surface Forms

colluder singular
colluders plural

Morphology

colluder = collude (transparent) = collude + er

The word 'colluder' is transparently derived from 'collude' by adding the agentive suffix '-er', indicating a person who performs the action.

Etymology

Colluder comes from the Latin parts com- 'with' and ludere 'to play', so it originally meant 'to play together'. That's why a colluder is someone who secretly 'plays' with others — in other words, works with them to do something dishonest.