as in syndicates
a number of businesses or enterprises united for commercial advantage
a cartel of oil-producing nations that controls production and influences prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cartels
The annual loss of billions of dollars in human smuggling fees has forced corporate-sized crime rings in Mexico, known as cartels, to pivot to other means of profit, including fentanyl and other drugs.
—
Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026
And then with this new administration and new focus on the Mexican cartels, superseding indictment was handed down just in March where this scheme and the people who own this shop were involved in aiding terrorism because these cartels have been designated as foreign terrorists.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In the new crime drama, Gisela plays Etta Tiger Jonze, a twentysomething who witnesses her family get murdered by one of the biggest drug cartels in Miami and sets out to avenge their deaths.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Criminalizing hemp and marijuana drives the black market and helps the cartels, not the people.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Islamist militant groups, the perennial top concern, now come second to Latin American drug cartels.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 14 May 2026
Some Mexican drug cartels are known to house exotic cats as symbols of power and, occasionally, to dispose of their enemies.
—CBS News, 11 May 2026
Los Ardillos, fighting rival cartels for territorial control in Guerrero state, has been blamed for 76 deaths and 25 disappearances in the region in recent years.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Over the years, scammers in Myanmar, drug cartels in Latin America, including a narco-submarine, and Russian military forces, have all been spotted using Starlink, which has prompted SpaceX to try to clamp down.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026
Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2026
And then with this new administration and new focus on the Mexican cartels, superseding indictment was handed down just in March where this scheme and the people who own this shop were involved in aiding terrorism because these cartels have been designated as foreign terrorists.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 15 May 2026
In the new crime drama, Gisela plays Etta Tiger Jonze, a twentysomething who witnesses her family get murdered by one of the biggest drug cartels in Miami and sets out to avenge their deaths.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Criminalizing hemp and marijuana drives the black market and helps the cartels, not the people.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Islamist militant groups, the perennial top concern, now come second to Latin American drug cartels.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 14 May 2026
Some Mexican drug cartels are known to house exotic cats as symbols of power and, occasionally, to dispose of their enemies.
—CBS News, 11 May 2026
Los Ardillos, fighting rival cartels for territorial control in Guerrero state, has been blamed for 76 deaths and 25 disappearances in the region in recent years.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Over the years, scammers in Myanmar, drug cartels in Latin America, including a narco-submarine, and Russian military forces, have all been spotted using Starlink, which has prompted SpaceX to try to clamp down.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels
Noun
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Criminal syndicates The consequences extend far beyond South America.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
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For one, the Madlanga Commission — set up to investigate whether criminal syndicates and political actors have burrowed into the police, intelligence, and prosecutorial services — is due to submit its interim report at the end of May.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Two of the largest cookware conglomerates in the world are suing a six-year-old startup over claims of false advertising in regard to non-stick cookware.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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Consumers are increasingly pulling away from conspicuous logos and toward craftsmanship, longevity and emotional durability — categories where smaller independent labels often outperform conglomerates culturally, even if not financially.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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