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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
The first season’s framing of the police as some of the dumbest and most corrupt people alive could be good fodder for Salazar, who might make a go for sheriff given how Callie’s husband bungled the Pastor Pete case. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 July 2025 Set in 1987 Oakland, Freaky Tales is a multi-track mixtape of colorful characters – an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector – on a collision course in a fever dream of showdowns and battles. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 July 2025
Verb
Her new novel, Spent, tells the story of one Alison Bechdel, a tetchy lesbian cartoonist running a pygmy-goat sanctuary in Vermont who is trying to write a memoir about the corrupting influence of money. Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025 One of the most common mistakes travelers make is plugging phones into an unprotected USB charging port at the airport, which hackers can corrupt with malware. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for corrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt
Adjective
  • In the kitchen, opt for glass and stainless-steel containers, and throw away degraded plastic tools.
    Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 7 July 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • Food waste after a party or outdoor snacking session can begin to rot and smell, which won’t be pleasant for you or your neighbors.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 14 July 2025
  • This vertical trellis reduces the likelihood of rotting, keeps produce away from certain garden pests, and can even increase sun exposure.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 July 2025
  • In the last year, Israel has managed to significantly degrade the capabilities of its adversaries, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and its June conflict with Iran – with the help of the U.S. – was widely seen as having dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s abilities to harm the Jewish state.
    Natasha Turak, CNBC, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • In 1986, Amos Fiat and Adi Shamir proposed a way to use hash functions to address the audience’s other concern: that the student might have bribed the professor to pick certain boxes.
    Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 9 July 2025
  • Could Sliwa, the talk-radio vigilante and Republican nominee, be bribed or bullied into making way for someone more viable?
    Andrew Rice, Curbed, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Kids get hurt and get sick, like anyone else; every year, a few in the practice battle life-threatening illness, often cancer.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Mission Viejo raced to the title while playing without wide receiver Vance Spafford (sick), cornerback Jeron Jones (fractured wrist), safeties Sawyer Thomson (knee) and Zachary Foeldi (knee) and wide receiver Max Markofski (hip).
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 13 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
  • Alex managed to bypass Charlie’s detection by training herself to swallow all her natural impulses when lying, subverting the template of the show and what fans have come to expect.
    Matt Minton, Variety, 10 July 2025
  • On the flip side, some influencers have posted images of them wearing Skims' retro girdle as a sole outfit, subverting the 1950s connotation of undergarments as visible only to one's husband, said Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, professor of gender at Case Western Reserve University.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • Republicans are right to be terrified with their prospects in November 2025 and 2026; there is going to be a major reckoning for their chaotic, crooked, and extreme governance.
    James Skoufis, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
  • National reporters and true crime junkies dug in, while local officials — already lacquered in scandal — looked so crooked a frame job seemed not just possible but probable.
    Tom Blakely, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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