Complicitous - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Complicitous means being involved in or aware of wrongdoing without actively opposing it. It describes someone who shares responsibility by silently allowing or cooperating with unethical actions.
Definition:
Involved in or associated with wrongdoing, often secretly or indirectly.
Synonyms:
complicit, conspiring, collusive, conniving
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
innocent, uninvolved
Common Collocations:
complicitous behavior, complicitous silence, complicitous agreement
Derivatives:
complicity, complicitously
Usage Tips:
Use "complicitous" to describe someone knowingly involved in unethical or illegal actions, often passively.
Common Phrases:
turn a blind eye, in cahoots with, silent partner
Etymology:
Derived from "complicity," from Latin *complicare* (to fold together), implying shared involvement.
Examples:
- 1. She remained complicitous by not reporting the fraud.
- 2. The manager was complicitous in the employees' scheme to steal supplies.
- 3. His complicitous silence allowed the bullying to continue unchecked.
- 4. The politician denied being complicitous in the corruption scandal.