as in syndicates
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
Relevance
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 cartels
Drug-trafficking networks with links to transnational cartels are active along Ecuador’s coast and have used fishermen and their small boats to transport illicit shipments, according to local police.
—
Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
In their charging documents, prosecutors allege Maduro, his wife and his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, engaged in a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and partnered with cartels designated as terrorist groups.
—Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
Since 2021, Ecuador has experienced growing criminal violence by gangs operating in coordination with Colombian and Mexican cartels involved in drug trafficking.
—CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
But Trump’s description of the Mexican trafficking world – one dominated by a few cartels that can be swiftly defeated – is at odds with how the crime organizations actually operate, experts say.
—Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Flying coach while cracking down on cartels The decision is particularly striking given Luckey’s profile and the security risks associated with his work.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
The same is true of military efforts to go after cartels.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
The Ford had spent the past days resupplying and regrouping with its strike group elements in the Mediterranean Sea, according to ship-tracking data, ahead of its retasking to the Caribbean Sea, where the United States is staging a major military campaign against drug cartels in Venezuela.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
While administration officials have avoided overtly saying their goal is regime change — Trump has focused his public remarks on fighting drug cartels — the ultimate goal of democratizing Venezuela, and the resulting investment benefits, are front and center in investors’ minds.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels
Noun
-
Outside the capital, guerrilla groups and organized crime syndicates are exploiting the power vacuum along Venezuela’s borders and in its resource-rich interior.—
-
Many of the scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia are run by Chinese crime syndicates.—
Noun
-
That forward-thinking approach can be attributed to late chairman Lee Kun-Hee, who pushed Samsung, one of the mega-conglomerates or chaebols that dominate South Korea’s economy, to ditch its reputation as a fast follower and compete with the best companies in consumer tech.—
-
New Delhi’s opposition politicians, though, argued the changes will only benefit a handful of conglomerates — the Adani Group, the Tata Group, and Reliance Industries — who already enjoy considerable control over Indian industry.—
Cite this Entry
“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share