conspiratorial
Sharing hidden schemes
Conspiratorial describes behavior suggesting secret plotting or shared secrecy.
A conspiratorial whisper implies hidden plans; a conspiratorial glance signals unspoken understanding between people.
The word can describe actual conspiracies or just the appearance of them: They huddled in conspiratorial conversation.
Often the secrecy is playful rather than sinister: She gave me a conspiratorial wink.
Devising a secret plan
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
cabal · intrigue · subterfuge · manipulation · complicity · stratagem · ploy · ruse
Reduced to silence
- whisperedSpoke without full voice
- furtiveSecretive and sly
- covertIntentionally concealed
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
guarded · tight-lipped · clandestine · surreptitious · stealthy · undercover · veiled · cloaked
Cleverly deceptive
- wilySkilled at deception
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- craftyCleverly deceptive
- shrewdPractically clever, perceptive
artful · guileful · deceitful · duplicitous · manipulative · treacherous · unscrupulous · Machiavellian
Absence of confidence
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
- McCarthyismPolitically-motivated accusation without evidence
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
alarmism · cover-up · shadowy · sinister · surveillance · informant · wiretap · whistleblower
plotting
Devising a secret plan
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
collusion · cabal · intrigue · subterfuge · manipulation · complicity · stratagem · ploy · ruse · gambit
hushed
Reduced to silence
discreet · guarded · tight-lipped · clandestine · surreptitious · stealthy · undercover · veiled · cloaked · shrouded
sly
Cleverly deceptive
shrewd · artful · guileful · deceitful · duplicitous · manipulative · treacherous · unscrupulous · Machiavellian · underhanded
distrust
Absence of confidence
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- witch-huntPersecution of supposed subversives
- McCarthyismPolitically-motivated accusation without evidence
scapegoating · alarmism · cover-up · shadowy · sinister · surveillance · informant · wiretap · whistleblower · Watergate
conspiratorialopen
Not closed
public · transparent · overt · revealed · unconcealed
conspiratorialinclusive
Covering all members
collaborative · trusting · welcoming · forthcoming · collegial
conspiratorialaboveboard
Honest and unconcealed
straightforward · honest · forthright · candid · guileless