as in incentive
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision
that judge refused a huge bribe to dismiss the charges against the wealthy defendant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to lure
to influence someone with a bribe
meat inspectors were bribed, and the contaminated beef was sold to the public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bribe
Ryanne Mena, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Years later Och-Ziff, too, would plead guilty to paying bribes in several African countries, including Congo.
—Nicolas Niarchos, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Some patients were bribed with cash or drugs, state officials have said.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Noun
Okoronkwo received the payment in a certain trust account to try to create the false impression that the bribe payment was made up of client funds.
—Ryanne Mena, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Years later Och-Ziff, too, would plead guilty to paying bribes in several African countries, including Congo.
—Nicolas Niarchos, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
When those efforts were ineffective, Roefaro bribed Taylor with tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments, between which Taylor issued a memo recommending the NYPD award the company a contract worth more than $11 million, according to the indictment.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Some patients were bribed with cash or drugs, state officials have said.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribe
Noun
-
That’s largely because the city of San Diego has been ahead of this curve for years, reducing regulations, creating incentives to build lower-cost housing and doing away with zoning restrictions.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Investors leverage this report to measure tightness in the labor market, which influences expectations around wage inflation; in a hot labor market, businesses need to pay up to attract talent, but when there are way more job-seekers than openings, less financial incentives are needed.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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New owners Laura and Tim Schneider hope the reborn paper can aid in the community’s recovery by sharing information on the rebuilding process and luring residents and businesses back.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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An intelligence report presented to Kenya’s Parliament last month by majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah said Kenyan and Russian government officials colluded with recruitment agencies to lure Kenyans to the front lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This casserole works for everything from a weeknight dinner fix to a holiday potluck dish.—
Brennan Long,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Restful sleep can be challenging for many people, leading them to turn to sleep supplements as a fix.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His father bought him the plane ticket after Jeffrey found himself in a bit of a boredom rut with friends and getting into the wrong kind of trouble.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Embrace the slightly dystopian vibe and buy a bag of pellets from one of the old-timey pioneer stores to hand-feed the furry descendants.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Our market reacts to rate cuts more than any other stimulus.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
-
But economists expressed disappointment over the government’s limited stimulus.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bale has the more interesting role as the youth who at first chooses Hitler out of expedience, but then becomes seduced by power and status.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Waugh walks around with a newfound swagger, playing hooky, drinking heavily, even seducing a woman at his local.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Banks tells the camera, imagining herself talking to a rival, explaining her motivations for wanting to be a producer.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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But there will be extra motivation upon his return to Tottenham, and the hope in the away end that perhaps a strong showing could propel his Palace career forward.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mixing powdered sugar with baking soda will entice ants to consume the mixture.—
Rabekah Henderson,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
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More than a century later, there are more than 400 such restaurants across the five boroughs, enticing a far more diverse array of diners.—
Sarah Khan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribe. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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