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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
Where the Democrats worked hard to convince Americans that the Supreme Court was corrupt and unreliable, the Republicans under Trump seem intent on convincing Americans that the orders of the court are only suggestions. Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2025 When a nightclub shooting sparks a gang war, a dirty cop (Hardy) works to find the son of a corrupt politician (Forest Whitaker) and keep him safe while pursued by rival underworld factions and his fellow officers. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
This can be done in several ways, including overpowering the control signal with a stronger one, spoofing the GPS signal to disrupt navigation, or corrupting the video feed transmitted by the drone. Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 The Legislature has been trying to curtail that practice ever since, saying that outside special interests with money have corrupted the process. Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for corrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt
Adjective
  • The Freshwater Challenge is an initiative of countries—currently 49 countries plus the European Union—that have committed to collectively restoring 300,000 kilometers of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands.
    Jeff Opperman, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • The resulting service gaps leave service providers relying on alternate methods that in many places result in a degraded customer interaction.
    Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Watering them during this time can cause the bulbs to rot, especially in warm, humid conditions.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
  • The rotting teeth of our children because of this fluoride ban is a metaphor for the rot in our government.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Erebus is at risk of degrading due to strong currents.
    Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025
  • Plus, this rash guard’s fabric blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays, though keep in mind that frequent laundering will degrade the UV-blocking ability over time.5 In general, it’s recommended that UPF clothing be replaced after 40-50 washes.
    Laura Lu, Parents, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Qatar also allegedly bribed FIFA officials for the rights to the World Cup in the first place.
    Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 15 May 2025
  • Hackers have been stealing Coinbase customer information by bribing the company’s overseas support agents for access.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Parents might use those days to stay home with a sick child, while others might use a non-work day to help a family member in need or take a pet to the vet.
    Lieke ten Brummelhuis, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • This is a vital step not just for those currently facing a terminal diagnosis, but for the many Californians who aren’t sick now but may be someday.
    Christie Golemb, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 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
  • This opens the door to whole new fields of enterprise, ethical and criminal, involving influencing the actions of—or simply subverting—AI agents.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • The Incoherent Case for Tariffs Trump’s fixation on economic coercion will subvert his economic goals.
    Antony J. Blinken, Foreign Affairs, 6 May 2025
Adjective
  • But that jubilation quickly turns into a night of violence when Coop is beaten within an inch of his life by two guys hired by a crooked art gallery owner who put overly aggressive moves on his partner in crime Elena (Aimee Carrero).
    Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 9 May 2025
  • In the new season’s third episode, Charlie helps Beatrix solve the murder of her husband Jeffrey (Richard Kind) by crooked FBI agent Danny (John Mulaney), and in return, Beatrix agrees to call off the hit.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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