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corrupt

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective corrupt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of corrupt are degenerate, iniquitous, nefarious, vicious, and villainous. While all these words mean "highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct," corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

When might degenerate be a better fit than corrupt?

The meanings of degenerate and corrupt largely overlap; however, degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

When is iniquitous a more appropriate choice than corrupt?

Although the words iniquitous and corrupt have much in common, iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

In what contexts can nefarious take the place of corrupt?

The synonyms nefarious and corrupt are sometimes interchangeable, but nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

When would vicious be a good substitute for corrupt?

While in some cases nearly identical to corrupt, vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

When can villainous be used instead of corrupt?

While the synonyms villainous and corrupt are close in meaning, villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of corrupt
Adjective
Luke’s Passion narrative shows religious elites, corrupt politicians, and a fickle crowd destroying the innocent. Rev. Frank Alagna, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2025 But far worse than his situation, the whole country has to suffer through the next 46 months of having a corrupt as well as grossly incompetent Department of Justice. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
Banks couldn’t simply restore from backups because those records had also been corrupted. Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Examples include divulging end users’ confidential contacts or emails and delivering falsified answers that have the potential to corrupt the integrity of important calculations. ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for corrupt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt
Adjective
  • The plan includes 124 projects designed to dredge sand, rebuild degraded marshes, and add levees, floodgates and storm surge barriers.
    Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Apple spent years ignoring RCS, allowing iPhones to offer a degraded messaging experience with Android users.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Unless someone inside the federal government continues to ensure the liquid nitrogen doesn’t totally evaporate, the samples will eventually defrost and begin to rot, according to three staff researchers who work with such materials.
    Caroline Haskins, Wired News, 17 Apr. 2025
  • He cannot be allowed to rot in an El Salvadorian jail.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Government lawyers argue that Meta's services have degraded in quality in part because of its dominant position in the marketplace.
    Bobby Allyn, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
  • According to the National Institutes of Health, ALS progressively degrades, then kills nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One high-ranking gang member, speaking to CNN, admitted to multiple killings – and said bribing police is routine.
    Abel Alvarado, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The same history that members of Congress cited in their decision to negotiate and adopt the FCPA includes the names of dozens of U.S. companies that bribed their way into valuable concessions, procurement contracts, and deals.
    Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Steward said his daughter, while surfing nearby, became sick with an infection from a type of bacteria called MRSA, which is resistant to many antibiotics.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • It seems squarely aimed at making kids sick by discouraging vaccination.
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • However, when viruses were exposed to sunlight, many of them did not survive as long, decaying in under 24 hours.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The result was not only environmental catastrophe but license for unchecked consumption of cheap plastic goods that can take a few minutes to use but hundreds of years to decay.
    Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • From the outset, Nortec’s work challenged conventions, subverting stereotypes of Mexican identity — like the outsider trope of the gun-slinging charro donning a weed plant shirt in a lawless Tijuana — while exploring new artistic terrain.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Some accused him of overlooking the Democrats’ role in subverting democratic norms, citing, for example, President Obama’s embrace of executive power, or the Democratic attempt to filibuster Neil M. Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Katt's other notable roles included that of teacher Harry Senate on the school drama Boston Public, crooked finance associate Greg Weinstein in Boiler Room, and detective Frank Duggar in Speakeasy.
    Kat Stinson, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • He’s been dropping tapes nonstop since 2022, as his method is really to flood the internet with his motivation music and unglamorous crime epics full of crooked cops, lookout boys, dealers, dope fiends, tricks, and urban decay.
    Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corrupt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupt. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

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