conspiracy theorize

English

Etymology

Probably a back-formation of conspiracy theory.

Verb

conspiracy theorize (third-person singular simple present conspiracy theorizes, present participle conspiracy theorizing, simple past and past participle conspiracy theorized)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To formulate or engage in conspiracy theories.
   • 2012, Katherine Hawley, Trust: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 103:

     The assassination of JFK is perhaps the most conspiracy-theorized event of modern times. One theory has it that the Mafia were behind the killing, in league with the CIA, the FBI, Cuba, and/or LBJ (take your pick).

   • 2013, James McConnachie, Robin Tudge, Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories, The (3rd), Penguin, →ISBN, page 1932:

     Hardly had these twin tsunamis hit, however, than they were followed by wave upon wave of conspiracy theorizing. Who was really behind their deaths? Was either man actually dead at all? Had they been dead for years?

   • 2014, Michael Butter, Maurus Reinkowski, Conspiracy Theories in the United States and the Middle East: A Comparative Approach, Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 276:

     The idea of conspiracy theorizing as (attempted) self-empowerment is an important one, again for both majorities and minorities. One view is of conspiracy theorizing as “naïve deconstructive history.”

   • 2014, Juha Räikkä, Social Justice in Practice: Questions in Ethics and Political Philosophy, Springer, →ISBN, page 78:

     What should we think about the ethical acceptability of political conspiracy theorizing? A brief overview on the comments concerning the ethics of conspiracy theorizing suggests that it all depends on the social consequences of the activity ...

   • 2014, Barna William Donovan, Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious, McFarland, →ISBN, page 1:

     Over the past five decades, American culture has descended ever further into a shadowy, suspicious world of conspiracy theorizing. The prognostication about the Brooklyn Bridge scenario is actually not as far-fetched as it might appear ...

   • 2015, Michal Bilewicz, Aleksandra Cichocka, Wiktor Soral, The Psychology of Conspiracy, Routledge, →ISBN:

     Of course, the scapegoating and conspiracy theorizing in the crisis period is driven by politics (see for example Glick, 2002). Political positions are important in conspiracy theorizing. Rejection of liberal and Roma ethnic parties seemed to be ...

Alternative forms

• conspiracy-theorize