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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corruption
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—
Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Is corruption getting worse or are investigations getting better?
—Sofía Benavides, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
But some are concerned the street crime focus could draw attention from the sophisticated public corruption and national security threats for which the bureau has long been primarily, if not solely, responsible for investigating.
—Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Months after a guilty verdict, a federal judge has acquitted former House Speaker Glen Casada and a former top aide on three counts of public corruption, but declined to acquit the men on more than a dozen other charges.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Is corruption getting worse or are investigations getting better?
—Sofía Benavides, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
But some are concerned the street crime focus could draw attention from the sophisticated public corruption and national security threats for which the bureau has long been primarily, if not solely, responsible for investigating.
—Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Months after a guilty verdict, a federal judge has acquitted former House Speaker Glen Casada and a former top aide on three counts of public corruption, but declined to acquit the men on more than a dozen other charges.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corruption
Noun
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Citing a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, the outlet said that the victim was a female in a severe state of decomposition.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Authorities located a body in the front trunk of the Tesla that was in a state of decomposition, LAPD sources said.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For engineers, all this means coupling MLOps with DevOps by integrating retraining triggers, model validation steps and performance degradation alerts directly into deployment pipelines.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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High-speed charging generates substantial thermal energy, which can accelerate cell degradation, reduce the battery’s overall lifespan, and in rare cases, lead to safety issues like thermal runaway.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Hank isn’t being accused of mere immorality, after all; he’s being accused of rape, which was also a crime back in Kierkegaard’s days.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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Beyond the inherent immorality of thoughtlessly torturing and killing birds and wildlife, Death Pipes are an example of the hidden toll that people and their structures are exacting on nature.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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To determine if a root canal is needed, dentists conduct a thorough exam, often with X-rays, to evaluate decay, damage and the tooth’s internal condition.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Its alignment with figures like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un symbolizes the isolation and reputational decay of a regime that relies on coercion rather than consent.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
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Lee and her brother William would preach far and wide to attract people to their cause (a necessity, given the lifetime celibacy requirement) and their pursuit of a utopian society free of any and all sin.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As noted above, the emphasis was on the states of evil, sycophancy, and hallucination.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The third was that the other political party is not just wrong politically but downright evil.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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How long Beto remains in the line-up will be determined by whether Saturday’s profligacy comes to be seen as an anomaly or the norm.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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More political turmoil in the world fourth-largest economy could rattle the bond market as investors gauge whether the next leader will lean toward fiscal discipline or more profligacy.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corruption. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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