a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
"The police arrested three suspects who were found guilty of forming a conspiracy to rob the bank."
a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)
"The secret meeting was called together by members of the conspiracy to overthrow the government."
a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose
"The investigation revealed that the conspiracy involved several government officials plotting to steal millions from the national treasury."
The act of two or more persons, called conspirators, working secretly to obtain some goal, usually understood with negative connotations.
"The two former colleagues were arrested for their conspiracy to embezzle funds from the non-profit organization."
In plain English: A conspiracy is when two or more people secretly work together to do something illegal or harmful that they don't want others to know about.
"The police arrested them for plotting to steal money from the bank in a secret conspiracy."
Usage: A conspiracy involves secret planning by multiple people to achieve an illegal or harmful objective. Use this term specifically when emphasizing the collaborative and clandestine nature of a plot rather than just the crime itself.
To conspire.
"The two employees conspired to hide the company's financial errors from the auditors."
The word conspiracy comes from the Latin verb consperire, which originally meant to pour together or mix ingredients like flour and water for bread-making. It entered English through Middle French as a term describing people who secretly join forces with similar intentions, shifting away from its literal culinary sense over time.