complicity

noun

com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈpli-s(ə-)tē How to pronounce complicity (audio)
plural complicities
Synonyms of complicity
1
: association or participation in or as if in a wrongful act
There's no proof of his complicity in the crime.
2
: an instance of complicity
The two share a complicity she calls fraternal.—Joan Dupont

Synonyms of complicity

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Examples of complicity in a Sentence

There's no proof of her complicity in the murder. He acted with his brother's complicity.
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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.
In my view, to tell the story of America’s founding without referencing these profound scars is akin to deceit, if not complicity. — Jacob Ware, The Conversation, 31 July 2026 Paul releases some of Fauci’s diary Paul in his opening statement sought to build the case that Fauci helped produce the COVID-19 pandemic by approving funding of research on virus mutations and then covered up his complicity. — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 The senator is trying to build the case that Fauci and other officials helped produce the COVID-19 pandemic by approving funding of research on virus mutations and then covered up their complicity. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 Their selective invocations of Washington may have obscured his complicity, but some abolitionists truly believed doing so would help bring the horror of American slavery to an end. — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for complicity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French complicité, borrowed from New Latin complicitāt-, complicitās, formed from Late Latin complic-, complex "fellow-participant, partner, accomplice" and Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity, probably after Late Latin duplicitās duplicity — more at complice

Note: The formation of the word is peculiar in that Latin -itāt-, -itās, along with its descendants and borrowings, is rarely added to nouns. Outside of the dictionaries of Thomas Blount and Elisha Coles, complicity is rare to non-existent in English text before the later eighteenth century, when its adoption was probably stimulated by French complicité.

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of complicity was circa 1656

Rhymes for complicity

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Browse Nearby Words

complicitous
complicity
complier
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Cite this Entry

“Complicity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complicity. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

complicity

noun
com·​plic·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplis-ət-ē How to pronounce complicity (audio)
plural complicities
: association or participation in a wrongful act

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