Synonyms of bribes

bribes 1 of 2

noun

plural of bribe

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

• incentives
• fixes
• motivations
• backhanders
• sops
• inducements
• payoffs
• encouragements
• lures
• temptations
• kickbacks
• boodles
• boosts
• persuasions
• stimuli
• seductions
• baits
• flatteries
• cumshaws
• stimulations
• slush funds
• enticements
• incitements
• provocations
• spurs
• goads
• instigations
• traps
• allurements
• baksheeshs
• snares
• decoys
• turn-ons

bribes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bribe

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

• buys
• lures
• seduces
• poisons
• corrupts
• entices
• has
• persuades
• squares
• tempts
• pays off
• provokes
• gets at
• prostitutes
• debauches
• oils the hand of
• motivates
• induces
• baits
• spurs
• depraves
• perverts
• greases the hand of
• traps
• taints
• leads on
• abases
• subverts
• tampers (with)
• dishonors
• debases
• profanes
• demeans
• goads
• allures
• defiles
• warps
• fixes
• degrades
• stimulates
• beguiles
• snares
• flatters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bribes

Noun

These scandals, which included massive bribes and kickbacks on projects across the continent, contributed to a political crisis that, in 2016, ended Dilma Rousseff’s presidency and, in 2018, sent Lula to prison. — Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026

Many choose to make use of a corrupt brokerage system, where people with connections in the foreign ministry and other regime appendages facilitate large bribes for new, and sometimes fake, documentation. — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026

Diamantis has another pending criminal case in federal court, where he's accused of taking bribes to quash a state audit of an eye doctor accused of Medicaid fraud. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

He was accused of extorting private contractors for bribes between 2018 and 2021 in exchange for helping the companies keep and obtain work on school construction contracts. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2026

Malone was arrested and charged with accepting more than $180,000 in bribes from another homelessness-aid nonprofit. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Malone was charged in a 21-count indictment accusing her of taking more than $180,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Alexander Soofer, who was the executive director of the nonprofit Abundant Blessings. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

The bribes were exchanged from 2018 to 2021, when Diamantis was the state’s deputy budget director and head of the state’s school construction office. — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026

About a decade ago, this office also prosecuted FIFA officials and sports-marketing executives for racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering over bribes and kickbacks. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 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