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Conspiracy most commonly means a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal.

Conspiracy can also refer to the act of making such plans—the act of conspiring—or to the group making the plans. The people involved can be called conspirators.

In a legal context, conspiracy refers to an agreement by two or more people to commit a crime.

A conspiracy theory is an explanation of an event that claims it was the result of a secret and often complex and evil plot by multiple people. People who promote or formulate conspiracy theories often reject the standard or accepted explanation of unexplained or unusual events and claim that they are the doing of evil conspirators secretly conspiring behind the scenes.

Both conspiracy and conspiracy theory are often used in the context of politics.

Example: This isn’t the work of one man—it’s a conspiracy, and there are more people in on it than you think!

The first records of the word conspiracy come from the 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin verb ���DzԲ���ī�������, meaning “to act in harmony” or “to conspire.” It comes from the combination of con-, meaning “together,” and ����ī�������, “to breathe.” The suffix -acy indicates a state of action—the state or act of conspiring.

When people hear the word conspiracy, they often think of shady people making shady plans in shady backrooms. The word typically implies both secrecy and evil—people involved in conspiracies are up to no good and they’re trying to hide it. The word is especially associated with bizarre conspiracy theories, but some conspiracies are very real. When people plan to commit a crime together, it’s a criminal conspiracy.

What are some other forms related to conspiracy?

• conspire (verb)
• conspirator (noun)
• conspiratorial (adjective)
• conspirative (adjective)
• conspiratory (adjective)
• conspiratorially (adverb)

What are some synonyms for conspiracy?

• plot
• scheme

What are some words that share a root or word element with conspiracy?��

• conspiracy theory
• spirit

What are some words that often get used in discussing conspiracy?

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• theory
• government
• political
• evil
• secret
• hidden
• massive
• cabal

Conspiracy is always used negatively. It’s commonly used in the term conspiracy theory.

The new doc “Church and the Fourth Estate” profiles Adam Steed, a Mormon who was abused in the Boy Scouts and blew the whistle on a conspiracy involving the Scouts and LDS Church

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast)

We are learning so much about so many people. All the bigotries are being exposed. Allies who are only allies until their friends get called out, people who don’t believe in racism, transphobes, idiot conspiracy theorists. It’s a lot.

— roxane gay (@rgay)

Body: time to sleep

Brain: okay just reading one more conspiracy theory about Justin Bieber shapeshifting into a lizard

— Phil Lester (@AmazingPhil)

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Is conspiracy used correctly in the following sentence?

The conspiracy consisted of several top-ranking officials.