corruption
noun
cor·rup·tion
kə-ˈrəp-shən 
1
a
: dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers) : depravity
b
: inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (such as bribery)
the corruption of government officials
c
: a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct
the corruption of a text
the corruption of computer files
d
: decay, decomposition
the corruption of a carcass
2
chiefly dialectal
: pus
3
archaic
: an agency or influence that corrupts
Synonyms
Examples of corruption in a Sentence
There are rumors of widespread corruption in the city government.
the mafia's corruption of public officials
corruption of the English language
computer software that is supposed to prevent the corruption of files
the corruption of a text
Recent Examples on the Web
The fear of government corruption is also no surprise—this concern has topped the university’s list every year since 2015.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024
Freedom Way directed by Afolabi Olalekan Nigeria A ride-sharing app is exactly what chaotic Lagos needs, but both the young engineers who set it up and the customers who depend on it have to deal with corruption, police violence and extortion.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
These recent news stories seem to suggest a culture of corruption in Orange County that cannot go ignored.
—Tri Ta, Orange County Register, 24 Oct. 2024
Economic development is deeply intertwined with human factors—such as corruption, weak institutions, values, ideologies, and entrenched inequality—that AI alone cannot address.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption 
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024
Freedom Way directed by Afolabi Olalekan Nigeria A ride-sharing app is exactly what chaotic Lagos needs, but both the young engineers who set it up and the customers who depend on it have to deal with corruption, police violence and extortion.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
These recent news stories seem to suggest a culture of corruption in Orange County that cannot go ignored.
—Tri Ta, Orange County Register, 24 Oct. 2024
Economic development is deeply intertwined with human factors—such as corruption, weak institutions, values, ideologies, and entrenched inequality—that AI alone cannot address.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corruption.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near corruption
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corruption. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
corruption
noun
cor·rup·tion
kə-ˈrəp-shən
1
: physical decay or rotting
2
: dishonest or evil behavior
3
: the causing of someone else to do wrong (as by bribery)
4
: a change from the original or for the worse
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