corruption

noun

cor·rup·tion kə-ˈrəp-shən

: dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers) : depravity

: inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (such as bribery)

the corruption of government officials

: a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct

the corruption of a text

the corruption of computer files

: decay, decomposition

the corruption of a carcass

chiefly dialectal : pus

archaic : an agency or influence that corrupts

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Three members of the council were also accused of corruption. —

Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 11 Nov. 2024 Local media reports said hundreds of amateur videos had been found at the finance official’s home during a raid associated with a corruption investigation. —

Reuters, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 Illinois has the most local governments in the nation, multiplying the chances for corruption Illinois’ arcane ballot rules turn politics into a blood sport where only the most powerful and savvy survive Chicago police bet big on pricey surveillance cameras. —

Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024 The small Balkan country of Bosnia and Herzegovina has faced particular energy challenges for years, complicated by corruption and ecological threats. —

Will Tizard, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for corruption