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- Dictionaryconniving/kəˈnʌɪvɪŋ/
adjective
- 1. given to or involved in conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful: "a heartless and conniving woman"
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CONNIVING definition: 1. A conniving person deceives others for their own advantage: 2. A conniving person deceives…. Learn more.
to plan secretly and dishonestly for something to happen that will be to your advantage: Officials were accused of conniving with the company in the supply of arms to Sierra Leone. [ + to infinitive ] They connived to break the school rules at every opportunity. to allow something bad to happen although you know about it:
1. : to pretend ignorance of or fail to take action against something one ought to oppose. The government connived in the rebels' military buildup. 2. a. : to be indulgent or in secret sympathy : wink. The captain connived at the smuggling of goods aboard his ship. b. : to cooperate secretly or have a secret understanding.
adjective. /kəˈnaɪvɪŋ/ (disapproving) behaving in a way that secretly hurts others or deliberately fails to prevent others from being hurt. He plays a power-hungry, conniving politician in the new Wednesday-night drama. Topics Personal qualities c2. Want to learn more?
Connive definition: to cooperate secretly; conspire (often followed by with). See examples of CONNIVE used in a sentence.
Conniving definition: cooperating secretly, especially with harmful or evil intent; conspiring. See examples of CONNIVING used in a sentence.
To connive is to plan or plot to do something illegal or wrong. Conniving is considered dishonest and cowardly. If someone accuses you of conniving, that's definitely not a compliment. Conniving usually occurs in secret, and people who connive are up to no good. Criminals planning a bank robbery are conniving.
verb. /kəˈnaɪv/ (formal, disapproving) Verb Forms. [intransitive] connive at/in something to seem to allow something wrong to happen. She knew that if she said nothing she would be conniving in an injustice. Questions about grammar and vocabulary? Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.
conniving. (kənaɪvɪŋ ) adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] If you describe someone as conniving, you mean you dislike them because they make secret plans in order to get things for themselves or harm other people. [disapproval] Edith was seen as a conniving, greedy woman.
Someone conniving is calculating, scheming, and shrewd — in other words, sneaky and up to no good. Do you know anyone who is always trying to get away with things? Do they constantly look for ways to get out of trouble or work?
