conspiracy theory
Loading your saved state.
conspiracy theory
The assumption that an event or situation was secretly planned and caused by a small, powerful group (a conspiracy), even though there is no evidence or only insufficient evidence for it.
Im Internet verbreiten sich oft die wildesten Verschwörungstheorien zu politischen Ereignissen.
The wildest conspiracy theories about political events often spread on the internet.
The word is made up of 'Verschwörung' (conspiracy) and 'Theorie' (theory), connected by an 's'. A conspiracy is a secret plan by a group, and a theory is an assumption or idea. So the meaning can be derived directly from its parts.
Er hat ein ganzes Buch über diese eine Verschwörungstheorie geschrieben.
He wrote an entire book about this one conspiracy theory.
Common verbs used with this word are 'an eine Verschwörungstheorie glauben' (to believe in a conspiracy theory), 'eine Verschwörungstheorie verbreiten' (to spread a conspiracy theory), or 'eine Verschwörungstheorie widerlegen' (to debunk a conspiracy theory).
Manche Leute glauben an die seltsamsten Verschwörungstheorien.
Some people believe in the strangest conspiracy theories.
When you want to express that someone is convinced of a conspiracy theory, you use the preposition 'an' together with the verb 'glauben': 'an etwas glauben' (to believe in something).
Leider glaubt mein Onkel fest an diese Verschwörungstheorie.
Unfortunately, my uncle firmly believes in this conspiracy theory.
conspiracy
Verschwörung and Verschwörungstheorie can both refer to a secret explanation for an event. Verschwörungstheorie explicitly identifies this explanation as an assumption for which there is no evidence or only insufficient evidence. Verschwörung alone, by contrast, can also refer to an actual secret plan.
Für die Behauptung, eine mächtige Gruppe habe das Ereignis geplant, gibt es nur eine Verschwörungstheorie ohne ausreichende Beweise.
The claim that a powerful group planned the event is supported only by a conspiracy theory with insufficient evidence.
Die Polizei entdeckte eine Verschwörung gegen die Leitung des Unternehmens.
The police uncovered a conspiracy against the company’s management.
