as in conspiracy
a secret agreement or cooperation between two parties for an illegal or dishonest purpose was able to sneak out at night with the connivance of a camp counselor

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of connivance With the connivance of federal judges who wish to keep their dockets pared down, big corporations force aggrieved consumers and workers into arbitration, where the latter are at a disadvantage. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023 But the one commonality is the halo of protection or connivance or collaboration around these characters. Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023 Nearly unseated by his popular prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddeq, in 1953, the shah retained his throne with American and clerical connivance. Laura Secor, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013 The complaint also says Davenport has been gaming the system for years with the rest of the board’s connivance — allegations Davenport and the other members of the board have denied. Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for connivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connivance
Noun
  • Singer pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
  • In November, Vaillant was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Noun
  • During that time, the party promoted historical narratives about Polish victimhood and resistance to the Nazis, while delegitimizing research on Polish antisemitism or Poles who killed Jews, and even passed a law that outlawed accusing Poland or the Polish people of complicity in Nazi crimes.
    Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
  • Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality, it's called complicity.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 17 July 2025
Noun
  • What the law prohibits is collusion when competitors (in this case, schools and conferences) agree to suppress what athletes can earn.
    Diana Moss, Boston Herald, 28 July 2025
  • Commissioned as opposition research during the presidential election, the dossier contains allegations about Trump's ties to Russia, including claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, as well as salacious and compromising personal material.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Connivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connivance. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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