conspire

Conspire is a verb meaning to join with others in secret planning to commit an unlawful or harmful act, or to work together to bring about a particular outcome. The noun form is conspiracy. Etymology traces to the Latin conspirare, from com- “together” and spirare “to breathe,” literally “to breathe together.” The term has long been used to describe coordinated plots, and today it appears in both legal contexts and ordinary language.

In law, conspiracy typically refers to an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime or to achieve an unlawful objective, with intent to that end. Many jurisdictions require an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy beyond mere agreement, though some statutes or common-law theories treat the mere agreement as sufficient. Conspiracy can be charged as a crime (criminal conspiracy) or used as a basis for civil liability (civil conspiracy), where two or more people allegedly work together to commit a tort or to injure another by unlawful means. Penalties and procedures vary by jurisdiction and by whether the underlying act was completed, attempted, or thwarted.

Elements and defenses also vary: typical elements include agreement, intent, and, where required, an overt act; defenses may include lack of intent, absence of a conspiratorial agreement, or withdrawal from participation. Over time, the concept has expanded beyond strictly criminal contexts to encompass coordinated schemes in business, politics, and other spheres, including antitrust or fraud contexts when law recognizes conspiratorial actions.

In everyday language, conspire can describe coordinated action by groups even in noncriminal settings. The term also yields “conspiracy theory,” which describes a belief that events result from secret plots, often without verified evidence.