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
Stanley Zydlo pleaded guilty in 1980 to paying a $1,000 bribe to have the test results altered for a Fire Department physical entrance exam taken by two relatives. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Ulrich, 41, is accused of accepting more than $150,000 in bribes in exchange for political favors while serving as a City Council member, senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams and later as buildings commissioner. — Alice Gainer, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
In the action movie, the cops usually have to bribe the person with access to the surveillance tool with cookies and booze to run a search without a warrant, right? — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 Men shouted abuse from car windows or tried to bribe him with money, drugs, even girlfriends. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 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 fact, a natural-resource provider's economic incentive is to minimize demand.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Check whether individual and departmental incentives support the company’s broader objectives or encourage people to optimize at one another’s expense.
    — Dr. Nore Salman, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of incentive
Verb
  • That hasn’t deterred a startup called Alta from trying to lure banks and big companies with a blockchain of its own.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The Nordic countries are well known for their rather gimmicky yet innovative travel campaigns luring travelers to the icy north.
    — Lola Akinmade, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of lure
Noun
  • The implications are huge for future missions, potentially opening up new possibilities to build — or fix — satellites in the final frontier.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Google’s Pixel phones get an update every month, but most are just security patches and bug fixes.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of fix
Verb
  • The turning point came when a friend’s band bought a van for a tour.
    — Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Before buying a fund that invests in private companies, be sure to consider redemption and fees, Spatt said.
    — Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of buy
Noun
  • Usefulness is key for the program, but so is providing stimuli.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Even seemingly small increases—like switching from 10-pound to 12-pound dumbbells, for example—can provide enough of an effective stimulus to build strength without over-stressing your body.
    — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of stimulus
Verb
  • Our personal data is constantly being bought and sold by all manner of companies and organizations that use it to target us with advertisements, seduce us with scams, and otherwise waste our precious time.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The last crime, a blackmail scheme that involved hiring a prostitute to seduce his sister’s husband, suggests a dubious approach to conflict management.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of seduce
Noun
  • While no explosive devices have yet been found following bomb threats, the motivation behind the reports remains unclear.
    — Pau Mosquera, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But Pessiglione suspects that psychological factors, such as motivations and beliefs, also play a key role.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of motivation
Verb
  • Once the victim engages in a back-and-forth, a supervisor experienced in emotional manipulation takes over to build a relationship and entice the victim to hand over their money.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Only a handful of new acts a year develop with the profile and following to entice that kind of spending on physical product from their fans, but there’s no shortage of such acts to be found in the past.
    — Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of entice

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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 12 Nov. 2026.

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