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
In 2016, parliament impeached Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, over a corruption scandal.
—
Kim Tong-Hyung, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024
The only other president to be successfully impeached was Park Geun-hye, a conservative who left office in 2017 and was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a corruption scandal involving major corporations and the daughter of a cult leader.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is trying to urge the nation to continue the struggle, even as its officials at all levels engage in corruption and deceit.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
But if the Idlib governance is any sign of what’s to come, many Western observers are worried, as it was beset by corruption and suppression of opposition voices.
—Brad Dress, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption 
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Kim Tong-Hyung, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024
The only other president to be successfully impeached was Park Geun-hye, a conservative who left office in 2017 and was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a corruption scandal involving major corporations and the daughter of a cult leader.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is trying to urge the nation to continue the struggle, even as its officials at all levels engage in corruption and deceit.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
But if the Idlib governance is any sign of what’s to come, many Western observers are worried, as it was beset by corruption and suppression of opposition voices.
—Brad Dress, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corruption
Dictionary Entries Near corruption
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corruption. Accessed 21 Dec. 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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