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
Tom Winter, NBC news, 10 June 2026
Do is serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes to steer $10 million in pandemic relief funds to two nonprofits.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
ABC News, 4 June 2026
Two months later, chairman Lord Triesman, who passed away earlier this year, was forced to quit after being recorded speculating about referees being bribed at the World Cup.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Noun
Rozier is alleged to have played better than anticipated and collected four rebounds during the game, causing his bribe to drop to $70,000, prosecutors said.
—Tom Winter, NBC news, 10 June 2026
Do is serving a five-year sentence in federal prison for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes to steer $10 million in pandemic relief funds to two nonprofits.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Verb
The indictment maintains that, as part of a criminal enterprise, Jones and Dowling carried out a large-scale covert scheme between 2010 and 2021 to bribe state officials and to illegally advance FirstEnergy’s financial interests alongside their own.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Two months later, chairman Lord Triesman, who passed away earlier this year, was forced to quit after being recorded speculating about referees being bribed at the World Cup.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribe
Noun
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And given that such systems are physically possible, powerful economic and strategic incentives exist for technologists and entrepreneurs to build them.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
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The money is an incentive granted by the city after working more than 20 years to attract a builder with a project appropriate for the property, which was cleared decades earlier for redevelopment.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Businesses set up signs, posters and international flags to lure locals and tourists alike, while the Miracle Theater hosted a watch party for the match between France and Senegal.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Fallout The crisis has exposed divisions within González’s own party as her administration works to lure new investors to the island and remedy chronic power outages.—
Vera Lucia Pappaterra,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Many have been quick-fix projects that don't require as much funding or take years of planning.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The California Chamber of Commerce, a business trade group behind the measure, argues the state’s system of approving certain developments is too slow, too muddied up by regulation and too expensive and that the initiative is the fix needed.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Laoch and Doughty bought tickets for Monday night’s Marlins game against the Texas Rangers at loanDepot park, along with more than 8,000 members of the Tartan Army.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
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To be safe, consider buying and cutting your own cantaloupe with your newfound skills.—
Alexandra Frost,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Noun
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The nation’s collective card balance actually declined through much of 2020 and 2021, as consumers rode out the COVID-19 pandemic and cashed federal stimulus checks.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
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Prabowo has pushed for heavier stimulus and lower interest rates.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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One class in, and Hannah is thoroughly seduced both by Melanie’s flattery and by her therapyspeak approach to acting, with its talk of truth-telling and connecting to one’s body.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
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Young women being preyed upon and seduced by rapacious Hollywood producers, stars and studio heads is a tired cliché, but like all clichés, it is based on reality.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Well, that gives me all the more motivation to bust right through that thing.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
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This decline deprives teens of vital skill development, work experience, and motivation, fostering pessimism among Gen Z.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Seen from the other side of the deal, that means that bond issuers must pay higher yields, or rates, for investors to be enticed to buy.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Financial incentives offered by the conservation district, in conjunction with federal programs, have enticed farmers in the South Fork of the Republican River near Burlington to end irrigation on an additional 20,000 acres.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribe. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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