corruption

noun cor·rup·tion \ kə-ˈrəp-shən \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Examples: corruption in a Sentence

Definition of corruption

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

See corruption defined for English-language learners

See corruption defined for kids

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 of corruption from the Web

In June, a federal jury took just over an hour to convict Reynolds of 14 bribery counts in a widespread federal corruption probe that started in Macomb County and took down a trash empire.

— tresa baldas, Detroit Free Press, "Feds: No proof behind Macomb official's cancer story; keep him jailed," 12 July 2018
That’s the premise of one of our favorite films from Telluride Mountainfilm, Dark Money, which traces financial corruption in a Montana election to show how interest groups steer politics and make candidates beholden to the groups that pay them.

— heather hansman, Outside Online, "The Newest Adventure Movies You Can Watch Right Now," 12 July 2018
Last week, officials from the University of Maryland received multiple subpoenas in relation to the FBI's investigation into corruption in college basketball.

— khadrice rollins, SI.com, "Yahoo Sports Report Determines Kansas Has Been Subpoenaed in FBI's College Hoops Probe," 10 July 2018
Da Silva began serving a 12-year prison sentence in April on a corruption conviction in a case linked to the country’s massive corruption probe.

— Washington Post, "Brazil judge rules to keep da Silva in jail after dispute," 8 July 2018
Vallée offers image after image that emphasizes a kind of corruption in the American dream.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Twisted, Enthralling Rot of Sharp Objects," 7 July 2018
To be sure, environmental regulation is not a top issue for many voters; but corruption can be.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The EPA Is Hiding Proof That a Widely Used Chemical Causes Leukemia: Report," 6 July 2018
Though there was little independent media at the time - and local Italian media was controlled by Mussolini - the event has historically been tainted by allegations of corruption in officiating.

— ann killion, SFChronicle.com, "Casting a wary eye toward World Cup host Russia," 6 July 2018
The subject of more than a dozen federal investigations, Pruitt was the poster child for corruption in the Trump administration.

— emily atkin, The New Republic, "Scott Pruitt Is Gone. His Assault on the Environment Continues.," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'corruption.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of corruption

see ¹corrupt

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

corruption Synonyms

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

CORRUPTION Defined for English Language Learners

corruption

noun

Definition of corruption for English Language Learners

: dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers)
: the act of corrupting someone or something
: something that has been changed from its original form