backhanders

plural of backhander, British
as in bribes
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision the customs official let us know that he might be prepared to look the other way if an appropriate backhander was slipped into his palm

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of backhanders Kane’s backhanders have been replaced by Bedard’s one-timers. — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 23 July 2026 His mining deals in Congo, NGOs alleged, relied on schemes like kickbacks and backhanders. — Nicolas Niarchos, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanders
bribes
Noun
  • These scandals, which included massive bribes and kickbacks on projects across the continent, contributed to a political crisis that, in 2016, ended Dilma Rousseff’s presidency and, in 2018, sent Lula to prison.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Many choose to make use of a corrupt brokerage system, where people with connections in the foreign ministry and other regime appendages facilitate large bribes for new, and sometimes fake, documentation.
    — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Backhanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanders. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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