co
nnive
Third Person
connives
Present Participle
conniving
Past Tense
connived
Past Participle
connived
1
to secretly cooperate or conspire with others, typically to commit wrongdoing or deceit
- The corrupt officials connive with businessmen to embezzle public funds.
- Last year, the rival companies connived to fix prices and drive out competition.
- Some members of the organization are currently conniving to undermine the authority of the leader.
- While we were investigating, we discovered that the employees were conniving to steal company secrets.
- Tomorrow, they will be conniving to manipulate the stock market for their own gain.
2
encourage or assent to illegally or criminally
3
to knowingly ignore something illicit or improper without taking action to stop it
- The supervisor connives at the employees' habitual tardiness, failing to address the issue.
- Last year, the mayor connived at the corruption within the city council, allowing bribery to go unchecked.
- The teacher is conniving at the cheating behavior of certain students, undermining the integrity of the exam.
- While the investigation was ongoing, it was discovered that several officials were conniving at the embezzlement of public funds.
- Tomorrow, the committee will be conniving at the unfair treatment of certain members, neglecting to intervene in the dispute.