WorldJuly 9, 2026
complicity
/kəmˈplɪsɪti/
Definition
The state of being involved with others in an illegal or morally questionable activity.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'complex' (meaning folded together or entangled), the term entered English via French in the 17th century to describe being a partner in wrongdoing.
In the news
The author argues that national security lawyers from previous administrations share complicity for current presidential overreach because their past legal maneuvers eroded the guardrails intended to constrain war-making power.
One Man’s War
Read the full article ↗Foreign Affairs