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View synonyms for cabal

cabal

[ kuh-bawl, kuh-bal ]

noun

  1. a small group of secret plotters, as against a government or person in authority.

    Synonyms: ring, league, band, faction, junta

  2. the plots and schemes of such a group; intrigue.
  3. a clique, as in artistic, literary, or theatrical circles.


verb (used without object)

caballed, caballing.
  1. to form a cabal; intrigue; conspire; plot.

Cabal

1

/ kəˈbæl /

noun

  1. the Cabal
    English history a group of ministers of Charles II that governed from 1667–73: consisting of Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cabal

2

/ kəˈbæl /

noun

  1. a small group of intriguers, esp one formed for political purposes
  2. a secret plot, esp a political one; conspiracy; intrigue
  3. a secret or exclusive set of people; clique
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to form a cabal; conspire; plot
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • ca·bal·ler noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cabal1

First recorded in 1610–20, for an earlier sense; earlier cabbal, from Medieval Latin cabbala; kabbalah
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cabal1

see kabbalah ; by a coincidence, the initials of Charles II's ministers can be arranged to form this word

Origin of cabal2

C17: from French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see cabbala
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

It is as though Musk and his cabal at the newly created Department of Government Efficiency have picked up a whistleblower retaliator’s playbook and are using it against the entire federal civil service.

From Salon

It was a small but telling detail that demonstrated how the academy wants to be perceived after years of being portrayed as a shadowy record-industry cabal.

As any student of the Kings will know, the point is not to conjure up some Pizzagate-style conspiracy about a cabal of liberal Hollywood predators.

Even when he sermonized on the “global elitist cabal,” he spoke with the affable passion of a beloved high school teacher.

From Salon

Not just any action movie either — the sinister leader of the cabal Gi-hun sets himself against likens his vengeance quest to the central choice in “The Matrix.”

From Salon

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cabcabala