Thesaurus results for CARTELS

cartels

noun

plural of cartel

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

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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 In parts of Mexico farther from the US border, cartels have used drones to drop explosives in deadly attacks. — Reuters, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Mexico Government Smuggling gasoline and diesel from the United States into Mexico and reselling it tax-free is a huge money-maker for organized crime gangs, including drug cartels. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 The department, which oversees agencies such ICE and Border Patrol, is also responsible for combating criminal organizations like cartels and for stopping drugs like fentanyl from entering the country through its agencies. — Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026 After nearly a decade, CIA officer Matt Graver is still waging his war against Mexican drug cartels in Taylor Sheridan‘s Sicario cinematic universe. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026 Drug cartels, for instance, have used them to launder their proceeds. — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026 The film follows a group of struggling East London rappers who, desperate to outdo another rising star, steal a boat for a music video only to discover it’s stuffed with cash, landing them between rival crime cartels. — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 19 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 It’s well known the administration has tasked HSI — a force established to combat drug cartels, terrorism and other cross-border criminal enterprises — with leading the campaign to find election fraud cases in the United States. — Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartels

Noun

Complex investigations to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates can require advanced equipment, Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, wrote in a statement.

— Aneri Pattani — KFF Health News, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026
Informal mining is a deep problem in South Africa and is connected to criminal syndicates, according to authorities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of syndicates

Noun

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
While licensing archives to outside sources is lucrative, Bell questions how important archive houses are to media conglomerates.

— Addie Morfoot, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of conglomerates

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“Cartels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartels. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of cartels

noun

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