bribery

noun

brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē 

plural briberies

: the act or practice of giving or taking a bribe

Examples of bribery in a Sentence

They were arrested on charges of bribery.

Recent Examples on the Web

Musk potentially faces criminal charges for election bribery. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Last June, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a government watchdog, and two voters filed a lawsuit alleging that Musk, America PAC, and another of Musk’s political organizations violated laws on election bribery and unauthorized lotteries. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 July 2026

The Wisconsin Elections Commission last week referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney's office, which can choose to bring criminal charges over violating the state law against election bribery. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

The bill largely mirrors an existing law in Orange County, where former Supervisor Andrew Do pleaded guilty in 2024 to felony bribery in a sweeping corruption scandal. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bribery

noun

brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē 

plural briberies

: the act or practice of bribing

Legal Definition

bribery

noun

brib·​ery

plural briberies

: the crime of giving or taking a bribe