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
What are the accusations against USAID? Over the weekend and into Monday, Musk fired off a series of posts on X that accused the agency of corruption.
—
Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
First created among the post-Watergate government reforms aimed at increasing oversight and decreasing corruption and inefficiencies in federal departments, the Office of Inspector General began in 1976 after an act of Congress was passed.
—Southern California News Group Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
Bidzina Ivanishvili, an oligarch who had amassed his fortune in Russia, invested his considerable resources in establishing a political party to run against Georgia’s then-president, Mikheil Saakashvili, who faced allegations of corruption and political violence.
—Anthony Borden, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
Amid his absence, rumors swirled about an imminent resignation from Adams, who has pleaded not guilty in his federal corruption case and is supposed to stand trial in April.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for corruption 
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Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
First created among the post-Watergate government reforms aimed at increasing oversight and decreasing corruption and inefficiencies in federal departments, the Office of Inspector General began in 1976 after an act of Congress was passed.
—Southern California News Group Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
Bidzina Ivanishvili, an oligarch who had amassed his fortune in Russia, invested his considerable resources in establishing a political party to run against Georgia’s then-president, Mikheil Saakashvili, who faced allegations of corruption and political violence.
—Anthony Borden, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
Amid his absence, rumors swirled about an imminent resignation from Adams, who has pleaded not guilty in his federal corruption case and is supposed to stand trial in April.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
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 16 Feb. 2025.
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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