CORRUPT Synonyms: 193 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

corrupt 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of corrupt

as in degraded

having or showing lowered moral character or standards corrupt businessmen who are out to fleece the public corrupt business practices that should be investigated

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

corrupt

2 of 2

verb

kə-ˈrəpt

as in to rot

to go through decomposition a dead mouse corrupting in the walls produced a terrible smell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to degrade

to lower in character, dignity, or quality some observers believe that grossly violent movies corrupt the people who watch them as well as the people who make them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bribe

to influence someone with a bribe he bragged about having corrupted half of the officials on the city council

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 federal workforce was initially built in the 19th century more on party loyalty than merit, which eventually triggered a corrupt and ineffective spoils system. — Michael P. Dempsey, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Tongaat tumbled into business rescue — similar to Chapter 11 in the US — after corrupt bookkeeping practices blew a hole in its balance sheet in 2018. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 3 July 2026

Verb

Exploits will trigger guest-side actions alone to corrupt the host kernel’s shadow page, a data structure in the host that assists in the address translation. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026 Each correspondent in a chain adds a fee, a delay and another point where data can be corrupted, and the barriers to entry keep competition thin enough that prices stay high. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for corrupt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt

Adjective

Faster delivery with degraded quality just accelerates technical debt and erodes user trust.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Her days are spent growing coral fragments in nurseries, cleaning restoration structures, managing coral predators and transplanting coral onto degraded reefs.

— Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Definition of degraded

Verb

In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.

— Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Applying mulch directly against plant stems traps moisture, leading to rotting and other issues.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

There’s no danger of spontaneous mass illiteracy, but the complex cognitive skills that reading fosters start to degrade.

— Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Weather changes, tires degrade, a safety car appears, a driver reports instability or an opponent pits earlier than expected, and the team has seconds to decide whether to stay with the plan or change it.

— Erum Manzoor, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

In exchange, the indictment said, the bettors bribed Beasley and his debts to Davis were reduced or eliminated.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Undercover recordings allegedly captured Owens detailing how public officials could be bribed and how the illicit funds could be laundered through businesses and campaign donations, the outlet reported.

— Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of bribe

Adjective

If a sick animal did end up at a slaughterhouse, the US Department of Agriculture’s thorough meat inspection system would very likely spot it, separate it from others and deem it US Suspect.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
But when McGinley was a teen-ager, Michael became sick with AIDS and moved home to New Jersey.

— Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 4 July 2026

Definition of sick

Verb

Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.

— Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Many kinds of fly larvae eat dead or decaying tissue and may sometimes end up on meat, but New World screwworm larvae need living tissue to survive and develop.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

Some of that sentiment reflects the fact that the president and those around him subvert the rule of law, decency, and democratic restraints.

— Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
The Sedition Act of 1918, which subverted the Bill of Rights, imposed penalties for anti-government expression.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 1 July 2026

Definition of subvert

Adjective

Better known among seasoned riders as the Triple Nickel, the route makes for one of the most crooked roads in the Midwest, if not the country.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
There’ll be something else to keep the crooked numbers away, don’t worry.

— Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of crooked

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corrugations

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“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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