1
: money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust
police officers accused of taking bribes
2
: something that serves to induce or influence
offered the kid a bribe to finish his homework
bribed; bribing
: to influence the judgment or conduct of (someone) with or as if with offers of money or favor : to induce or influence by or as if by bribery
attempting to bribe a judge
bribing a child with candy
: to practice bribery
Examples of bribe in a Sentence
Noun
I offered the children a bribe for finishing their homework.
that judge refused a huge bribe to dismiss the charges against the wealthy defendant
Verb
She was arrested for attempting to bribe a judge.
They bribed him to keep quiet about the incident.
We bribed the children with candy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The felony charges are perjury, asking for a bribe by a member of a legislative body, soliciting a bribe and destruction or removal of public records.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
But the company’s owner, Ana Chretien, is a close ally and business associate of Mario Juarez, who this news organization has previously reported to be a co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to bribe the former mayor.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bribe
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Noun
In exchange for Lee burying the Indian Head Hills land-deal story — which, on paper, looked like a candidate taking a bribe from Trip and the Nazis — Donald agrees to give up the land.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The felony charges are perjury, asking for a bribe by a member of a legislative body, soliciting a bribe and destruction or removal of public records.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
While a dog can be bribed with a squeaky toy and a pig would surely look at the camera when enticed with a sausage on a stick, cats are known for their admirably self-serving demeanors.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
But the company’s owner, Ana Chretien, is a close ally and business associate of Mario Juarez, who this news organization has previously reported to be a co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to bribe the former mayor.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Cite this Entry
“Bribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bribe. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bribe
1 of 2 noun
: something given or promised to a person in order to influence a decision or action dishonestly
bribe
2 of 2 verb
bribed; bribing
: to influence or try to influence by a bribe
briber
noun
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