as in incentives
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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as in buys
to influence someone with a bribe
meat inspectors were bribed, and the contaminated beef was sold to the public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bribes
Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Police officials at a news conference said the officers had collected personal and private information unlawfully and distributed it to organized crime figures, in some cases for bribes, and that mobsters then carried out shootings and other violent crimes.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Clase allegedly began to request and receive bribes and kickback payments for agreeing to throw the specific pitches in April, according to the indictment.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Dillard pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Thao is accused of accepting bribes from Andy Duong and his father, David, including political favors and a $95,000 no-show job for Thao’s romantic partner, Andre Jones.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The leader of the Unification Church, also known as the Moonies, which began in South Korea and has spread worldwide, is also on trial over the bribes.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Adani and several other defendants are accused of having paid Indian government officials more than $250 million in bribes to obtain solar energy supply contracts worth more than $2 billion in profits.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
The marketers who were paid kickbacks and bribes used telemedicine companies in order to obtain doctors’ orders, many of which were written by doctors who did not have an existing relationship with the beneficiaries.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
Do was sentenced in June 2025 to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting more than $800,000 in bribes in exchange for diverting $10 million in pandemic relief money, mostly to a nonprofit that employed his daughter.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026
Police officials at a news conference said the officers had collected personal and private information unlawfully and distributed it to organized crime figures, in some cases for bribes, and that mobsters then carried out shootings and other violent crimes.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Clase allegedly began to request and receive bribes and kickback payments for agreeing to throw the specific pitches in April, according to the indictment.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Dillard pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Thao is accused of accepting bribes from Andy Duong and his father, David, including political favors and a $95,000 no-show job for Thao’s romantic partner, Andre Jones.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
The leader of the Unification Church, also known as the Moonies, which began in South Korea and has spread worldwide, is also on trial over the bribes.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Adani and several other defendants are accused of having paid Indian government officials more than $250 million in bribes to obtain solar energy supply contracts worth more than $2 billion in profits.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
The marketers who were paid kickbacks and bribes used telemedicine companies in order to obtain doctors’ orders, many of which were written by doctors who did not have an existing relationship with the beneficiaries.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
In one of the film’s most madcap and darkly comedic moments, Linda bribes her daughter with the promise of a pet hamster — who turns out to be a biter, desperate to escape its box.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribes
Noun
-
Typically, auto dealerships secure purchase orders from private or public fleet operators interested in buying their zero-emission vehicles at the lower rates facilitated by the state incentives.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Second, Connecticut should create incentives for insurance companies and financial services firms to partner with local training providers on apprenticeship and placement programs.—
Kevin J. Conlan,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
CardVault also buys and trades cards and collectibles.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Whoever buys it you don’t need to change anything!—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Zeldin emphasized the importance of identifying sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes that waste taxpayer money.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That could present warning signs to credit rating agencies, portend a just-as-rocky budget cycle for 2027 and — per the mayor’s warnings — lead to layoffs that could hit the Police and Fire departments if fixes don’t come.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Today, another kind of treasure typically lures travelers to Franklin, though, one found among the trails, waterfalls, and scenic byways of the community.—
Trudy Haywood Saunders,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The film frankly depicts the extreme sub-dom relationship that Erika lures Elliot into, peppered with Araki’s trademark playful-surrealism while committed to a certain, refreshing explicitness.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
-
The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sensing Scarlet’s resolve to destroy him, Claudius poisons her.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As Jay Jonah Atterbury, one of a handful of new characters on the fourth season of Industry, Kal Penn weaponizes and corrupts the stoner quirks viewers may recognize from his years playing Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar films.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Your starter entices with a spicy-tangy flavor, leading into the classic roasted chicken entree.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
-
While Summer most likely has tonnes of toys and a dog bed, there’s something about cardboard boxes that entices pets.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bribes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribes. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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