bribe 1 of 2

noun

ˈbrīb How to pronounce bribe (audio)
Definition of bribenext
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

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bribe

2 of 2

verb

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 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 bribe
Noun
But the judge also noted Krneta’s dual role in facilitating the corruption of Tobolski, both paying bribes and collecting extortion payments from other contractors on the then-mayor’s behalf. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Through subsequent court proceedings, prosecutors alleged Rozier accepted a $100,000 bribe to leave a 2023 Charlotte Hornets game early. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Verb
And so the taboo there is, yeah, politicians could bribe rich people. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 Retained for criminal defense work, Dwyer bribed an NYPD officer to access a confidential federal law enforcement database, obtaining personal information on government witnesses. — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribe
  1. incentive
  2. lure
  3. fix
  4. buy
  5. stimulus
  6. seduce
  7. motivation
  8. entice
Noun
  • In July, California’s Public Utilities Commission approved new incentives of up to $20,300 for ride-hailing app drivers to buy or lease new zero-emission vehicles, and often now, ride hailers can choose to be picked up by an EV on the apps.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Lucrative contracts in the French league, lack of incentive to travel overseas and strict rules from the French Federation meant a local product grew but never went global.
    — Eden Laase, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of incentive
Verb
  • Aladji Bamba was lured from Monaco for an initial £30m while Howe was still in situ.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • And, of course, on top of all of that, there are tax credits designed to lure productions — and sometimes post-production — elsewhere.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of lure
Noun
  • The Dept of Justice wanted to force Google to sell AdX; Google had instead proposed fixes that include giving the competition real-time bid access.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The report recommended three fixes, including that the Secret Service revise its policy to require that, when a security incident doesn’t warrant a policy update, that the rationale is documented.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fix
Verb
  • Yes, Minteh and Sarr both operate on the right and buying one of them arguably would have provided a better balance to Iraola’s attacking department given that his other wide players prefer the left flank.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • What makes Cypress Solar so valuable are the renewable energy credits Google will buy from Entergy.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of buy
Noun
  • Shape-memory polymers can be programmed to return to a particular shape after exposure to a stimulus, often heat.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Surrounded by the healing landscape of the Sonoran Desert, the luxe getaway has welcomed travelers seeking to put aside digital overload and other overwhelming stimuli in order to reconnect with the best versions of themselves.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulus
Verb
  • Ricki is charismatic but not otherwordly; if anything, the fact that James is able to seduce or threaten without appearing to do much at all is what makes Ricki extra formidable.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Or if leadership got seduced by silhouette, movement and atmosphere, neglecting to marry the galleries to the overall concept.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of seduce
Noun
  • Capitalism — and a strong profit motivation — has driven enterprise for centuries.
    — Space.com Staff, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Mahomes has had special motivation in coming back following surgery after suffering two torn ligaments in his left knee during a game.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of motivation
Verb
  • The high-concept thriller stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as a demonic character called The Stranger, who entices a young mother played by Jasmine Trinca into forging a Faustian pact.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • All of this casts doubt on whether the event will pull the kind of star power that entices TV networks to break their regular prime-time programming and compel viewers to skip an NFL game to tune in.
    — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of entice

Browse Nearby Words

bribable
bribe
bribed
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Cite this Entry

“Bribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribe. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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