corruption
noun
cor·rup·tion
kə-ˈrəp-shən 
1
a
: dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers) : depravity
b
: inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (such as bribery)
the corruption of government officials
c
: a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct
the corruption of a text
the corruption of computer files
d
: decay, decomposition
the corruption of a carcass
2
chiefly dialectal
: pus
3
archaic
: an agency or influence that corrupts
Synonyms
Examples of corruption in a Sentence
There are rumors of widespread corruption in the city government.
the mafia's corruption of public officials
corruption of the English language
computer software that is supposed to prevent the corruption of files
the corruption of a text
Recent Examples on the Web
Topline Investigators specializing in financial crime and corruption raided the Paris office of streaming giant Netflix Tuesday morning, multiple outlets reported, as a simultaneous search took place at the company’s EMEA headquarters in Amsterdam.
—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
That ban, which dated to the 1800s, was designed to reduce bribery and corruption during elections, Reuters reported.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
Newer parties are attracting more voters given Puerto Rico’s economic and political turmoil while a younger generation is decrying corruption, persistent power outages and a lack of affordable housing, among other things.
—Danica Coto, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Donald Trump slams Nancy Pelosi for corruption, calls military generals stupid
Robby Soave and Nomiki Konst react to Donald Trump’s rhetoric, resorting to more name-calling.
—The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption 
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Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
That ban, which dated to the 1800s, was designed to reduce bribery and corruption during elections, Reuters reported.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
Newer parties are attracting more voters given Puerto Rico’s economic and political turmoil while a younger generation is decrying corruption, persistent power outages and a lack of affordable housing, among other things.
—Danica Coto, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
Donald Trump slams Nancy Pelosi for corruption, calls military generals stupid
Robby Soave and Nomiki Konst react to Donald Trump’s rhetoric, resorting to more name-calling.
—The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption
Dictionary Entries Near corruption
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corruption. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
corruption
noun
cor·rup·tion
kə-ˈrəp-shən
1
: physical decay or rotting
2
: dishonest or evil behavior
3
: the causing of someone else to do wrong (as by bribery)
4
: a change from the original or for the worse
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