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

Deputies booked Silva into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges of voter intimidation, conspiracy to commit bribery, unlawful use of law enforcement insignia and disorderly conduct. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

For the company to offer donations to Collins in exchange for an official action, or for Collins to accept, would constitute criminal bribery. — Katie Nixdorf, ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2026

Diamantis is scheduled to be tried in December on a bribery charge arising on a $95,000 payment allegedly made to him by a Bristol optometrist to use his influence to stop an audit of her Medicaid billing. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 3 Oct. 2026

But İmamoğlu has been detained, since 2025, on a string of charges of corruption and bribery which are widely believed to be trumped up and designed to bar him from ever competing against Erdoğan nationally. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 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