connivance

C3O1N1N1I1V4A1N1C3E1
/kəˈnaɪvəns/

noun

The process of conniving or conspiring.

Similar
collusionsecret approvaltacit consent
OriginLatin connīventia →
UncommonScrabble 17
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounconnivance (countable and uncountable, plural connivances)

plural connivances · alternative connivancy · alternative connivence · alternative connivency

  1. countableuncountablelawThe process of conniving or conspiring.

    The Abbot’s house, which formed the third side of the square, was, though injured, still inhabited, and afforded refuge to the few brethren who yet, rather by connivance than by actual authority, were permitted to remain at Kennaquhair.

    1820, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in The Abbot. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 271

Synonyms & antonyms

nounagreement on a secret plot

Similar
collusion
Broader
agreement

noun(law) tacit approval of someone's wrongdoing

Similar
secret approvaltacit consent
Broader
approvalcommendation
Also see
collusioncomplicity

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinconnīventia
  2. Englishconnivance

From early 18th c., replaced earlier form connivence (late 16th c.), from Latin connīventia, from connīvēns (“winking”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan connivència
  • connivència(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Finnish petoksellisuus
  • petoksellisuus(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
French connivence
  • connivence(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Italian connivenza, collaborazionismo
  • connivenza(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
  • collaborazionismo(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Portuguese conivência
  • conivência(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Russian попусти́тельство, потво́рство
  • попусти́тельство (popustítelʹstvo)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
  • потво́рство (potvórstvo)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
  • молчали́вое согла́сие (molčalívoje soglásije)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Spanish connivencia
  • connivencia(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Tamil உடந்தை
  • உடந்தை (uṭantai)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
Ukrainian потурання, мовчазна згода
  • потурання (poturannja)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
  • мовчазна згода (movčazna zhoda)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring
  • співучасть (spivučastʹ)(law) the process of conniving or conspiring

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

nonvaccine
Cite this entry
APA

connivance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/connivance

MLA

“connivance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/connivance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “connivance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/connivance.

Source: connivance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.