corruption

1 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 breakdown, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, spoilage Related Words crumbling, disintegration, dissolution; curdling, fermentation, moldering, souring Near Antonyms growth, maturation, ripening

2 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 abjection, corruptness, debasement, debauchery, decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degenerateness, degeneration, degradation, demoralization, depravity, dissipatedness, dissipation, dissoluteness, libertinage, libertinism, perversion, pervertedness, rakishness, turpitude Related Words evil, immorality, sinfulness, villainy, wickedness; filth, gangrene, rot, squalor Near Antonyms goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue

3 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> Synonyms vice, debauchery, depravity, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, libertinage, libertinism, licentiousness, profligacy, sinRelated Words bad, badness, blackness, evil, evildoing, ill, turpitude, villainy, wickedness, wrong; atrociousness, evilness, heinousness, sinfulness, unscrupulousness, viciousness, vileness, villainousness; devilry (or deviltry), fiendishness; corruptness, debasement, degeneracy, degeneration, depravedness, dissoluteness, dissolution; indecency, lasciviousness, lechery, lewdness, looseness, perversion, pervertedness, wantonness; abomination, anathema, taboo (also tabu); criminality, reprehensibleness; baseness, despicableness, dirtiness, lowness, meanness; lousiness, miserableness, wretchednessNear Antonyms good, right; honesty, honor, integrity, legitimacy, probity, rectitude, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, uprightness; goodness, righteousness, virtuousness; blamelessness; chastity, innocence, perfection, pureness, purity, spotlessness; cleanness, correctness, decency, decorousness, propriety, rightness, seemlinessAntonyms morality, virtue