1
as in bonuses
something given in addition to what is ordinarily expected or owed
the clerk at Calcutta airport was clearly angling for a little cumshaw on the side
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bribes
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision
the captain slipped the customs official his customary cumshaw at the Port of Shanghai
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumshaws
Noun
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Their salaries and bonuses differed to those offered to Russian soldiers, and even varied between the recruits.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026 -
The files appeared to show that in 2009, Mandelson passed an internal government report to Epstein and discussed lobbying for reduced taxes on bankers' bonuses, the AP reported.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Do was sentenced in June 2025 to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting more than $800,000 in bribes in exchange for diverting $10 million in pandemic relief money, mostly to a nonprofit that employed his daughter.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
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Police officials at a news conference said the officers had collected personal and private information unlawfully and distributed it to organized crime figures, in some cases for bribes, and that mobsters then carried out shootings and other violent crimes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Like gold, bitcoin produces no profits or dividends, and its price depends on what investors will pay for it.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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In fact, Poppick seems determined to prove that submerging yourself in the inanity of the grindset can pay creative dividends.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean crowded restaurants or expensive gifts.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Eskenazis' $40 million contribution for the naming rights of the public health system remains one of the largest philanthropic gifts in the city.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
4 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cumshaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumshaws. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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