1
: manipulated or controlled by deceptive or dishonest means
a rigged contest
Attempts to pass a rigged repatriation bill are exhibit A of what enrages Americans about Washington and Wall Street.—
Brent Budowsky
Brent BudowskyHis reluctance stemmed not from a lack of mercy but from his sense that pardons were a rigged game, tilted in favor of offenders with political connections.—Massimo Calabresi et al.
Massimo Calabresi et al.2
: fitted out with rigging of a specified kind
The Cornish lugger was a small, two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged boat.—Mark Kurlansky
Mark KurlanskyWhen she enters service in the fall of 1999, only the second five-masted full rigged ship ever built, she will bear the moniker of "the largest true sailing ship afloat today."—Kevin Haydon
Kevin HaydonExamples of rigged in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His rigged election claims have been thoroughly debunked over and over again, ad nauseam.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
As a rigged trial unfolds, the narrative explores themes of family secrets, betrayal and manipulation within a city hungry for punishment.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The game is feeling progressively more rigged right now.
—Chris Gethard, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
There was a similar pattern on the question of the potential for rigged games, with 72% of graduate-degree holders expressing such worries, compared to 67% of college graduates, 63% of those with some college experience, and 57% with no more than a high school education.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 19 Dec. 2025
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Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
As a rigged trial unfolds, the narrative explores themes of family secrets, betrayal and manipulation within a city hungry for punishment.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The game is feeling progressively more rigged right now.
—Chris Gethard, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
There was a similar pattern on the question of the potential for rigged games, with 72% of graduate-degree holders expressing such worries, compared to 67% of college graduates, 63% of those with some college experience, and 57% with no more than a high school education.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rigged
Cite this Entry
“Rigged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rigged. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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