Definition

Acting together secretly to achieve a dishonest or illegal purpose.

Example

The companies were accused of collusive behavior to fix prices.

Conversation

Did you hear about that company that got accused of being collusive?

Yeah, I read something about it; it sounds really shady.

It's crazy how some businesses can operate in such a collusive way.

I know, right? It makes you wonder how often it actually happens.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Collusive → It is formed from "col-" (meaning together) and "ludere" (meaning to play). The word describes a situation where parties are playing together in a secretive or deceitful manner, often to achieve a common goal at the expense of others.

Memory Tip

Think of people 'playing together' ('col-' means together and 'ludere' means to play') in a secretive way, which is what collusive means.

Visually Confused Words