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
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 students on Saturday demanded an early election and the rule of law, accusing the government of crime and corruption.
—
Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
The scandal also puts at risk Kyiv’s bid for fast-track EU membership, as one of Brussels’ key demands has been that Ukraine’s notorious corruption must be curbed.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 24 May 2026
The march comes a day after tens of thousands of people protested in Madrid against Sanchez, as political tensions and criticism rose over corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government.
—ABC News, 24 May 2026
The film tapped into contemporary anxieties about police brutality and institutional corruption, became a cult phenomenon and spawned two sequels.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for corruption
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Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
The scandal also puts at risk Kyiv’s bid for fast-track EU membership, as one of Brussels’ key demands has been that Ukraine’s notorious corruption must be curbed.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 24 May 2026
The march comes a day after tens of thousands of people protested in Madrid against Sanchez, as political tensions and criticism rose over corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government.
—ABC News, 24 May 2026
The film tapped into contemporary anxieties about police brutality and institutional corruption, became a cult phenomenon and spawned two sequels.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corruption. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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