Confederates Meaning in English
word · lemma: confederate
Definition
'Confederates' means people who join together for a common purpose, especially as allies, partners in a plan (sometimes secret or illegal), or, in U.S. history, members of the southern states that formed the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Usage & Nuances
Often refers to criminal partners ('criminal confederates'), political/military allies, or specifically to the Confederate States in U.S. history ('the Confederates' in the Civil War). In psychology experiments, 'confederates' are people secretly working with researchers. Beware confusing with 'confederation' (the organization or union). Fairly formal or historical; rarely used in daily conversation outside of specific contexts.
Example Sentences
The two thieves were confederates in the robbery.
basic
In history class, we learned about the Confederates during the American Civil War.
basic
The scientist used confederates to help with the experiment.
basic
He didn't act alone—he had several confederates planning the scam with him.
natural
During the Civil War, the Confederates controlled much of the southern United States.
natural
In some classic movies, detectives go undercover while their confederates create distractions.
natural