bribery

noun

brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē How to pronounce bribery (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder wants a full Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals review of his bribery conviction, raising issues with how the jury was picked and given instructions. Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Prosecutors alleged that Combs' outfit also committed such crimes as bribery, kidnapping, and arson. EW.com, 2 July 2025 The jury also found Combs not guilty of other crimes that were folded into the racketeering charge including drug distribution, bribery, witness tampering and obstruction of justice. Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 2 July 2025 Part of making that case in the Combs trial required proving the organization showed a pattern of criminal behavior, or predicate acts — such as bribery, kidnapping or prostitution — over a 10-year period. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bribery

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bribery was in 1560

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bribery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bribery. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

bribery

noun
brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē How to pronounce bribery (audio)
plural briberies
: the act or practice of bribing

Legal Definition

bribery

noun
brib·​ery
plural briberies
: the crime of giving or taking a bribe

More from Merriam-Webster on bribery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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