corruption

1 the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances the ancient Egyptians used special preservatives to spare their dead from complete corruption Synonyms breakdown, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, spoilage Related Words crumbling, disintegration, dissolution; curdling, fermentation, moldering, souring Near Antonyms growth, maturation, ripening

2 a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior the corruption of the upper classes eventually led to the fall of the Roman empire Synonyms abjection, corruptness, debasement, debauchery, decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degenerateness, degeneration, degradation, demoralization, depravity, dissipatedness, dissipation, dissoluteness, libertinage, libertinism, perversion, pervertedness, rakishness, turpitude Related Words evil, immorality, sinfulness, villainy, wickedness; filth, gangrene, rot, squalor Near Antonyms goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue

3 immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society Socrates was put to death because the ancient Athenians believed he was spreading corruption to their youth Synonyms vice, debauchery, depravity, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, libertinage, libertinism, licentiousness, profligacy, sinRelated Words bad, badness, blackness, evil, evildoing, ill, turpitude, villainy, wickedness, wrong; atrociousness, evilness, heinousness, sinfulness, unscrupulousness, viciousness, vileness, villainousness; devilry (or deviltry), fiendishness; corruptness, debasement, degeneracy, degeneration, depravedness, dissoluteness, dissolution; indecency, lasciviousness, lechery, lewdness, looseness, perversion, pervertedness, wantonness; abomination, anathema, taboo (also tabu); criminality, reprehensibleness; baseness, despicableness, dirtiness, lowness, meanness; lousiness, miserableness, wretchednessNear Antonyms good, right; honesty, honor, integrity, legitimacy, probity, rectitude, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, uprightness; goodness, righteousness, virtuousness; blamelessness; chastity, innocence, perfection, pureness, purity, spotlessness; cleanness, correctness, decency, decorousness, propriety, rightness, seemlinessAntonyms morality, virtue