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corrupt

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective corrupt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of corrupt are degenerate, iniquitous, nefarious, vicious, and villainous. While all these words mean "highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct," corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

When might degenerate be a better fit than corrupt?

The meanings of degenerate and corrupt largely overlap; however, degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

When is iniquitous a more appropriate choice than corrupt?

Although the words iniquitous and corrupt have much in common, iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

In what contexts can nefarious take the place of corrupt?

The synonyms nefarious and corrupt are sometimes interchangeable, but nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

When would vicious be a good substitute for corrupt?

While in some cases nearly identical to corrupt, vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

When can villainous be used instead of corrupt?

While the synonyms villainous and corrupt are close in meaning, villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

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 corrupt
Adjective
And an intense American propaganda campaign through social media and other channels should continuously highlight the calamitous and corrupt rule of the mullahs. Eric Edelman, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2025 But he is despised by Thailand’s powerful elites, who saw his rule as corrupt, authoritarian and socially destabilizing. Lionel Lim, Fortune, 19 June 2025
Verb
The appointments are likely to increase concern that federal vaccine recommendations will be corrupted and lead to Americans losing access to lifesaving vaccines. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 June 2025 Rogen lands a few funny lines, but the jokes mostly serve to distract from the point of the story: that freedom is ephemeral and easily corrupted, while humans are inherently piggish (as opposed to the other way around), seizing the first opportunity to take more than their share. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for corrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt
Adjective
  • Shot on low-grade digital cameras that made every image look even more apocalyptic and degraded, the film remains utterly terrifying, boasting excellent supporting turns from Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson as Jim’s fellow survivors.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
  • The good news is that General Mills is more than 60% of the way to achieving its goal of advancing regenerative agriculture—farming practices that regenerate degraded soil—on a million acres of land by 2030.
    Dave Levinthal, Fortune, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Immigration enforcement operations on farms have left crops rotting and farm operations disrupted in major agricultural states including California, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
    Billal Rahman Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Avoid sodding shady spots during the rainy season to prevent decline due to rot problems.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • One of the challenges is that signals in fiber-optic cables degrade over distance.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 June 2025
  • Israel wants to degrade Iran's missiles and nuclear program.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • More millions to bribe politicians to ease child labor requirements.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Federal prosecutors argued Combs and his associates were worried about being arrested after the attack on Ventura caught on 2016 hotel surveillance cameras and sought to bribe a security guard in return for the footage.
    Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Alaska, Michigan, and Maine are among the latest states with paid sick or family leave laws on the books.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
  • Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • However, when viruses were exposed to sunlight, many of them did not survive as long, decaying in under 24 hours.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The result was not only environmental catastrophe but license for unchecked consumption of cheap plastic goods that can take a few minutes to use but hundreds of years to decay.
    Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The final scene subverted what was previously known about Dave, a man established to be a passionate investigator and aspiring writer trapped in a complicated relationship.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 28 June 2025
  • Erotic surrender alone will not subvert or even really trouble the monarchy, which requires its own elaborately binding outfits and public displays of intimacy.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • What Pete Rose did was selfish, illicit, shameful, crooked.
    John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, a crooked wayfarer named St. Christophe (Jackson) is hot on Broadway’s trail, catching up with the young man and revealing that his dead dad wasn’t, in fact, a stand-up guy.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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