as in corruptible
open to improper influence and especially bribery
that judge is known for being venal and easily bought
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of venal
Often in host countries with poor governance a gray economy emerges where undocumented migrants must bribe venal officials for documentation to live or work.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst is right to be outraged with Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman for their venal appeasement of the Beckham Group and concession of city land at Fort Lauderdale Stadium at the cost of our park in District 1.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
In an age when Congress is increasingly a repository for publicity-seeking fools and venal pocket-liners rather than legislators, the Democratic voters of New York’s 16th congressional district have a rare opportunity to exchange a clown and antisemite for a more standard-issue liberal.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 June 2024
He was concerned with how a great power handles multiple internal crises—the faltering of the institutions of domestic order, the craftiness of unmoored and venal politicians, the first tremors of systemic illegitimacy.
—Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2020
See All Example Sentences for venal
Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst is right to be outraged with Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman for their venal appeasement of the Beckham Group and concession of city land at Fort Lauderdale Stadium at the cost of our park in District 1.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
In an age when Congress is increasingly a repository for publicity-seeking fools and venal pocket-liners rather than legislators, the Democratic voters of New York’s 16th congressional district have a rare opportunity to exchange a clown and antisemite for a more standard-issue liberal.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 June 2024
He was concerned with how a great power handles multiple internal crises—the faltering of the institutions of domestic order, the craftiness of unmoored and venal politicians, the first tremors of systemic illegitimacy.
—Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2020
See All Example Sentences for venal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for venal
Adjective
-
From fragmented records to corruptible datasets and the general noise across social media, agentic systems are facing a trust and truth crisis at the most fundamental level.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Iran prefers weak allies over strong ones, and corrupt and corruptible governments over ones that respond to their citizens’ needs.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In one of many tonally jarring subplots, Vince works out a scam to burn down his dead mother’s house in Brooklyn to collect the insurance money with the help of a corrupt fire marshal.—
Andrew Bernard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The writer became inspired to counteract his complicity in a corrupt system.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Venal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/venal. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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