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 of corruption

• decomposition
• decay

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

The Justice Department, for instance, decimated its elite Public Integrity Section in early 2025 while the FBI disbanded a white-collar fraud and public corruption squad based out of its Washington field office. — Patrick Whittle, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

The Justice Department, for instance, decimated its elite Public Integrity Section in early 2025 and the FBI disbanded a white-collar fraud and public corruption squad based out of its Washington field office. — Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

The more the campaign turns from sovereignty to corruption, the more vulnerable Lula becomes. — Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026

The scale of the trading — which included as much as $25 million in sales of shares of both Microsoft and Amazon — has deepened concerns about the potential for corruption. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see corrupt entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing corruption

• anti-corruption
• corruption of blood

Rhymes for corruption

• disruption
• eruption
• irruption
• incorruption
• interruption

Kids 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