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collusion

kuh-LOO-zhun /kəˈluːʒən/

nounC1GREGMATSATCATUPSC

FormalLegalBusiness

Secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others or manipulate market conditions.

Focuses on the covert, secretive act of conspiring together to undermine fair competition.

The story behind the word. From Latin 'collusionem', stemming from 'colludere' ('com-' = together + 'ludere' = to play). Literally meaning 'to play together', the word moved into Anglo-Norman legal terms to describe rival litigants who played a mock court game behind closed doors to defraud a third party.

Word relationships

conspiracy: Conspiracy can apply to any criminal planning; collusion is specifically used for economic or fraudulent deception.
complicity: Complicity means being involved in a wrongful act, whereas collusion emphasizes secret co-planning.

independent action: Decisions taken by a company unilaterally without secret coordination with competitors.

Commonly confused with

illusion: Illusion is a deceptive appearance; collusion is a secret illegal conspiracy.

Word family

collude (verb): To act together secretly for a fraudulent or illegal purpose.
collusive (adjective): Involving or characterized by secret cooperation.

Collocations

tacit collusion
in collusion with
uncover collusion
allegations of collusion

Idioms & expressions

in league with

Example sentences

"The regulators presented evidence of tacit collusion between rival gas stations to keep pump prices artificially inflated." Antitrust litigation
"Bidding on municipal contracts was invalidated following allegations of collusion among major construction companies." Financial law review

Memory hook

COL (together) + LUD (play). Playing a secret game together to trick everyone else. Collusion = Secret game behind closed doors.

When not to use

Do not use for open, lawful corporate partnerships, joint ventures, or legal alliances.

Fun facts

Economists distinguish between 'explicit collusion' (written pacts) and 'tacit collusion' (where firms match prices without ever speaking directly).