tacit cooperation

USAGE SUMMARY

'tacit cooperation' is a correctly used phrase and is fully usable in written English.
You can use it to describe when two parties work together without having an explicit, formal agreement for doing so. For example, "The two neighbours had a long-standing, tacit cooperation of taking turns to water each other's gardens."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

This is a case of tacit cooperation between competitors.

Harvard Business Review

This episode represents a pure form of psychological warfare and tacit cooperation between competitors.

Harvard Business Review

The drone attacks, carried out with the tacit cooperation of the Pakistani government, have become extremely controversial here.

The New York Times

There is ample fodder for both views in the documentary, "The Undefeated," a deeply admiring portrait of Ms. Palin that was made independently but with her tacit cooperation.

The New York Times

This cooperation would need to include not just Western "allies" Kurdistan and Turkey, but at least tacit cooperation from Western "enemies" Syria and Iran.

University of California, Berkeley

Another worry is that fighting Isis will inevitably mean strengthening Assad, as western calls for tacit cooperation with him suggest is already happening.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

If Plavsic was acting without Mladic's tacit cooperation--and there are signs that this is the case--then she is taking some risks.

Los Angeles Times

As Krutz and Peake note, executive agreements conducted in "truly unilateral fashion" without even tacit congressional cooperation will be "codified but essentially hollow". The difference between seeking a treaty and negotiating an executive agreement is, at base, a political question.

The Washington Post

The U.S. negotiations with Iran over the nuclear program, the Pentagon's tacit military cooperation with Iran in the fight against Islamic State in Iraq, and White House reluctance to get more involved in the Iran-backed war in Syria had raised doubt in Sunni Arab capitals about whether U.S. policy was tilting in Iran's favor.

Los Angeles Times

As America begins withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Central Asian states are likely to increase their demands for tacit payoffs for cooperation.

The New York Times

As Ai recently opined on state censorship, the "system needs cooperation and tacit understanding from the censored".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tacit cooperation" when describing scenarios in international relations, business negotiations, or interpersonal relationships where explicit agreements are absent, yet collaboration occurs through shared interests or unspoken understandings.

Common error

Avoid using "tacit cooperation" when there is a clear, written agreement in place. The term implies an unspoken understanding, not a formally documented one.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tacit cooperation" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It describes a specific type of collaboration where agreement isn't explicitly stated, based on Ludwig examples. As Ludwig AI correctly suggests, it describes collaboration without a formal arrangement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Formal & Business

12%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Science

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tacit cooperation" refers to an unspoken agreement or understanding where parties collaborate without formal contracts or explicit communication. As Ludwig's AI affirms, it's a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Related phrases include "implicit collaboration" and "unstated agreement". When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects a situation of unspoken understanding rather than an explicit, documented agreement. As shown by Ludwig's examples, this phrase is best deployed in neutral or professional registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

implicit collaboration

Replaces "cooperation" with "collaboration", emphasizing a joint effort that is understood rather than stated.

unstated agreement

Focuses on the agreement aspect of the cooperation, highlighting that it is not formally expressed.

implied understanding

Shifts the emphasis to the shared understanding that facilitates the cooperation, rather than the act itself.

informal alliance

Suggests a less structured partnership, where the cooperation arises from shared interests but lacks official status.

silent partnership

Emphasizes the quiet nature of the cooperation, where the parties involved may not openly acknowledge their collaboration.

unspoken accord

Similar to unstated agreement, it highlights the lack of explicit communication in achieving a cooperative outcome.

covert understanding

Suggests a hidden or secretive element to the cooperation, where the parties involved may wish to keep their collaboration discreet.

under-the-table cooperation

Implies the cooperation is happening secretively or possibly illicitly.

unofficial coordination

Indicates cooperation happening outside official channels or structures.

private accord

Emphasizes the private, non-public nature of the agreement to cooperate.

FAQs

How to use "tacit cooperation" in a sentence?

You can use "tacit cooperation" to describe situations where parties work together without a formal agreement. For example, "The two companies engaged in "tacit cooperation" to avoid a price war".

What's the difference between "tacit cooperation" and "explicit cooperation"?

"Tacit cooperation" implies an unspoken understanding, while "explicit cooperation" involves a formal, often written, agreement. One is implicit, the other is clearly defined.

What can I say instead of "tacit cooperation"?

You can use alternatives like "implicit collaboration", "unstated agreement", or "implied understanding", depending on the context.

Is "tacit cooperation" always a positive thing?

Not necessarily. While it can lead to positive outcomes, "tacit cooperation" can also be used in scenarios involving unethical or illegal activities, where participants avoid formal agreements to evade scrutiny.