1
as in decomposition
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degradation
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in immorality
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corruption
The protests have since fused with wider public anger over opaque real estate deals and alleged government corruption.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
The Herald investigated allegations of corruption and harassment by the board president, and how life has become miserable for the people who live there.
—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
Robin Hood has long been a mascot for anyone who opposes tyranny, greed and corruption.
—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
The agreements signed with nations around the world, a centerpiece of the State Department’s foreign aid policy, will in many cases involve sending funds directly to those governments, some of which have been mired in corruption scandals.
—
Anna Maria Barry-Jester,
ProPublica,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
The Herald investigated allegations of corruption and harassment by the board president, and how life has become miserable for the people who live there.
—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
Robin Hood has long been a mascot for anyone who opposes tyranny, greed and corruption.
—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
The agreements signed with nations around the world, a centerpiece of the State Department’s foreign aid policy, will in many cases involve sending funds directly to those governments, some of which have been mired in corruption scandals.
—
Anna Maria Barry-Jester,
ProPublica,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corruption
Noun
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Frequent mowing keeps clippings small, preventing smothering and speeds up decomposition for reuse.
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As with all animals, when a whale dies, bacteria begin the process of decomposition.
Noun
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The building had long-term degradation from corrosion, too.
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Researchers worldwide continue to struggle with issues such as low ionic conductivity, interface degradation, manufacturing complexity, and cost.
Noun
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Independents said the worst thing about Republicans was their loyalty to Trump (10%), perceptions of corruption and self-enrichment (8%), dishonesty, hypocrisy or immorality (7%), a lack of concern for ordinary people or cruelty (6%), and ineffective and weak or unqualified leadership (5%).
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Following this tendency might finally cure us not only of indigestion but also the ancient immorality of eating other organisms.
Noun
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The decay rate will increase as the spacecraft dips into denser layers of the atmosphere until Swift finally burns up during reentry.
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The Dirty Beaches founder’s own saxophone and trumpet lead the players’ cut-and-pasted recordings down dark alleys of decay and introspection, backdropped by percussive bangs and scrapes that suggest the construction of some great, mysterious superstructure.
Noun
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The continuation of the Corleone Family saga expands until Michael (Al Pacino) commits the ultimate brotherly sin, but the story’s jump back in time — in which Robert De Niro plays a younger version of Marlon Brando’s Vito — features many of the most iconic sequences in 1970s cinema.
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The movie’s gravest sin, though, might be its very existence.
Noun
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Her series are inevitably female-centric and like the Brontës, who wrote 200 years and a few miles away, her work excavates the drama of daily life and the tension between good and evil that sings below any surface.
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This is a necessary evil of the apron era, with teams terrified of going into the first- and second-apron payroll thresholds to retain their rosters.
Noun
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Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
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This lawless crew shares dramaturgical DNA with the vice figures from medieval morality plays, personifications of sinfulness who would confide their schemes to the audience and make theatergoers their co-conspirators in a riveting game that obviously left its mark on a young Shakespeare.
Noun
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That was really what helped me into the character and into her evilness.
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corruption. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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