cartel

noun

kär-ˈtel 
Definition of cartel
as in syndicate
a number of businesses or enterprises united for commercial advantage a cartel of oil-producing nations that controls production and influences prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cartel The Mexican government’s 2022 truth commission concluded that the cartel, Guerreros Unidos, and government authorities had been involved. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026 Think of his financial planner turned drug cartel enabler Marty Byrde in Netflix’s Ozark. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026 His Season 2 appearance was intended as a one-off, but the cartel member turned DEA informant turned severed head rigged to detonate atop a tortoise proved to be a massive hit with viewers, prompting a flashback return the following season. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 But in a state where numerous local cartels make money not only from drugs but also from extortion, there are plenty of possibilities. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cartel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartel
  1. syndicate
  2. conglomerate
Noun
  • When he's appointed interim sheriff of a tiny Minnesota town, Ulysses Richardson intervenes in a botched bank robbery, discovering a stash of gold and heavy weapons that belong to a Yakuza crime syndicate.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • No, this a league run by an elite, backroom syndicate where real power-brokers hatch blockbuster moves long before any transaction window officially opens.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of syndicate
Noun
  • The textile and garment conglomerate is one of the world’s largest denim manufacturers and produces jeans for Levi’s, Gap, H&M and others.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • South Korea surged ahead on the strength of its giant conglomerates like Samsung, which integrates multiple stages of the supply chain.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of conglomerate

Browse Nearby Words

carted
cartel
cartels
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Cite this Entry

“Cartel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartel. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cartel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cartel

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