to connive

Examples

• All

• They planned to connive in secret, allowing the unethical deal to proceed without anyone noticing.

• The priests therefore connive with the Romans to execute Jesus.

  MIT OpenCourseWare

• I don't want it known that I connived at such a silly thing, Knave.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Most Chinese analysts suspect Mr. Noda of conniving with Mr. Ishihara, who has since launched his own party.

  Blog text (6)

• Critics argued that privileged industrial and financial groups were conniving to create a de facto oligopoly in the steel sector.

  Academic text (1998)

• The Bush administration and the Israeli government connived in staging a coup by Fateh in the West Bank.

  Blog text (21)

• The UNHCR has allegedly connived with the Government of India in hastily repatriating the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

  Academic text (1997)

• The manager decided to connive with the rival company to manipulate the bidding process.

• It was clear that he would connive to ensure his interests were protected, despite the harm to others.

Synonyms

C

to conspire

vsto connive

130 5.8

To secretly plan with other people to do something illegal or harmful

is more about quietly permitting or backing wrongdoing than active planning

P

to plot

vsto connive

120 4.8

To make a secret plan to do something illegal

tends to mean quietly permitting or aiding wrongdoing rather than planning it

C

to collude

vsto connive

44 8.3

To secretly work with others to trick or cheat someone

often means quietly enabling or supporting the wrongdoing instead of leading it

S

to scheme

vsto connive

14 6.5

To make secret plans to do something dishonest

more often describes passive support or silent participation rather than plotting

I

to intrigue

vsto connive

1 7.9

To secretly plan dishonest actions against others

leans toward quietly enabling or going along with wrongdoing rather than plotting

M

to machinate

vsto connive

• Formal

1 9.9

To make secret plans to do something bad

is about quietly allowing or supporting bad acts rather than creating the scheme

C

to coconspire

vsto connive

9.7

To plan secretly with others to do something illegal

secretly allows or supports wrongdoing rather than being the main planner

C

to collogue

vsto connive

• Archaic

9.9

To meet secretly to plan something dishonest

involves quietly allowing or taking part without necessarily doing the planning

Antonyms

O

to oppose

∞ 2.9

To be against something and try to stop it

D

to denounce

• Formal

115 6.8

Publicly criticize someone or something strongly

Phrasal Verbs

C

to connive at

• Formal

9.5

To secretly allow something wrong to happen

How Complicit

to conspire

130 5.8

to collude

44 8.3

to abet

50 8.1

to connive

• Formal

19 8.8

to ignore

∞ 1.0

to tolerate

56 3.2

Surface Forms

Etymology