1
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the ancient Egyptians used special preservatives to spare their dead from complete corruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the corruption of the upper classes eventually led to the fall of the Roman empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in immorality
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
Socrates was put to death because the ancient Athenians believed he was spreading corruption to their youth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corruption
Netanyahu’s testimony in his trial on charges of corruption is on hold and out of the headlines.
—
Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Perhaps most important, the chronic corruption and fragmentation bedeviling the Congolese security apparatus was never tackled, prompting its leaders to ally with abusive groups when confronted with threats.
—Joshua Z. Walker, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
By combining this data with a series of datasets on social adversity— including corruption, inequality, poverty and violence—Zettler and his colleagues have revealed that the environment in which people live may have a bearing on their personality traits.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
But months later, the Brazilian government began investigating corruption in the meatpacking company — including among JBS and its top executives.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Perhaps most important, the chronic corruption and fragmentation bedeviling the Congolese security apparatus was never tackled, prompting its leaders to ally with abusive groups when confronted with threats.
—Joshua Z. Walker, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
By combining this data with a series of datasets on social adversity— including corruption, inequality, poverty and violence—Zettler and his colleagues have revealed that the environment in which people live may have a bearing on their personality traits.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
But months later, the Brazilian government began investigating corruption in the meatpacking company — including among JBS and its top executives.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corruption
Noun
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Despite the degradation of its military capabilities, Iran can leverage proxies, criminal organizations abroad, and cyberattacks to hit Israeli, and possibly U.S., targets.—
Nakissa Jahanbani,
The Conversation,
20 June 2025
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This natural degradation in data characteristics means an AI that once performed well might start making errors as its environment evolves.—
Ronen Cojocaru,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Omari’s father, Hassan (J. Paul Nicholas), is the conservative Muslim governor of Mombasa, fond of attacking the immorality in nightclubs like the Moto Moto, where most of Goddess is set, though he’s withdrawn from his reelection campaign after an illness.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 May 2025
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However, all Della can see is immorality between any two female brides, hurriedly making an excuse of being slammed by orders in six months.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
22 May 2025
Noun
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That’s because warming increases the rate of decay of falling organic debris, so that less of it reaches the twilight zone.—
Tim Vernimmen,
JSTOR Daily,
19 June 2025
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Certainly not for novelty’s sake; we are hardly starved for dramas of mental decay, or for the stupendous feats of acting that are often achieved in their service.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The fact is, Sinners is not about sin in the religious sense but more about America’s most significant secular violation: its refusal to face itself.—
Sughnen Yongo,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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Yet no former secretary of state has been more vehemently criticized, most notably for sins of omission and commission in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile and East Timor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The primary concern of the book was pacifism—the rejection of all violence, even to combat evil.—
Ben Woollard,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
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This national recognition of the evils of slavery comes during a significant backlash against teaching American history, as well as an erosion of other civil rights, namely a rollback of voting rights in places that have high populations of Black voters.—
Jenny Singer,
Glamour,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The United States can sustain the eye-popping profligacy of its national debt only because investors consider the U.S. dollar to be a safe haven.—
KORI SCHAKE,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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Modern Paris is an elegant monument to Haussmann’s profligacy; he was fired for spending stupefying sums of public money to force it up like winter tulips.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corruption. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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