corrupt 1 of 2

Definition of corruptnext

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
Repealing the endangerment finding may be the most corrupt act in our history. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026 Republicans up and down the ticket will pay the price of having an albatross like our corrupt Attorney General hung around their neck. Jack Fink, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
American culture will not be mocked or corrupted without consequence. Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2026 His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France. Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for corrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt
Adjective
  • On top of that, particles from tire wear, litter, and degraded plastics elsewhere can settle out of the air or arrive with runoff.
    Dr. Avishesh Neupane, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Problems with insulation can be caused by freezes due to the freeze-thaw cycle, which can lead to degraded insulation.
    Molly Burford, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • How to get rid of fruit flies To quickly eliminate fruit flies, start by thoroughly cleaning your kitchen and removing overripe or rotting fruits and vegetables.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Soft, mushy roots with a sour smell are a sign of wet rot from overwatering, which is tougher—but not impossible—to come back from.
    Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In many cases submitted to Othram, the main challenge can be having to rely solely on significantly old remains, as in Ritchie’s case, or other pieces of evidence that have degraded over time, Othram’s CEO David Mittelman told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
    Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Cement and steel degrade and corrode over time (especially when underground and in constant contact with saltwater).
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • When those efforts were ineffective, Roefaro bribed Taylor with tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments, between which Taylor issued a memo recommending the NYPD award the company a contract worth more than $11 million, according to the indictment.
    Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Even without bribing the bots to provide direct advertising, brands are already trying to find ways to get into the good books of AI search results.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • In 2014, the federal government also granted her permission to leave and re-enter the country to visit a sick family member in Mexico.
    Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026
  • In other words, routinely overloading on MSG (or feeling abnormally sick afterward) isn’t a viable concern for most people.
    Caroline Tien, SELF, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Importance of Cleaning Lawn Debris Before Spring Clearing your lawn of debris, such as matted leaves and branches, increases airflow, allows sunlight to penetrate, and prevents disease and pests, as decaying matter is a breeding ground for fungal diseases like snow mold.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Over long periods of time, and sometimes very long periods of time, their orbits will decay, and the two components will inspiral and eventually merge.
    Big Think, Big Think, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The court also found Yoon had subverted the constitutional order and abused his authority by ordering troops to storm parliament and arrest certain individuals including Lee Jae Myung, the liberal opposition leader at the time who is now South Korea’s president.
    Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
  • For his purposes of subverting elections, creating uncertainty may be nearly as effective as a real policy change.
    David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • More than half a million residents live in NYCHA development plagued by chronic mold, broken elevators, and heating failures; others reside in subpar tenements run by crooked landlords.
    Darius Jones, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
  • The company was ripped off over and over in more than 100 crooked transactions, the agreement said.
    Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union, 10 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

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