1. an alliance or union of people, groups, or states for a common purpose
2. a group of people working together secretly for an illegal or harmful purpose
3. the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War
Usage: historical; capitalized when referring to the specific historical entity

Examples

• The tribes formed a confederacy to defend their territory.
• Several nations joined in a confederacy against their common enemy.
• The police uncovered a confederacy of criminals planning the heist.
• He was accused of being part of a confederacy to defraud investors.
• The Confederacy was established in 1861 by eleven southern states.
• Many battles were fought between the Union and the Confederacy.
• The confederacy of small businesses lobbied for tax reform.