1
as in decomposing
to go through decomposition
a dead mouse corrupting in the walls produced a terrible smell
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degrading
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
some observers believe that grossly violent movies corrupt the people who watch them as well as the people who make them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bribing
to influence someone with a bribe
he bragged about having corrupted half of the officials on the city council
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corrupting
For Hildegard of Bingen, the German mystic, scientist, composer, and philosopher, women’s maternal bodies were not corrupting and degrading, but strong, nurturing, and creative.
—
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In his Phaedrus, Plato attacked reading as corrupting true philosophical dialectic.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
Richard Pazdur, a longtime cancer drug regulator, retired from the CDER director post in December due to concerns that political officials were corrupting the agency’s scientific process.
—Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
In this way at least, the mayor follows in the path of Socrates by corrupting the young.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
But now, federal prosecutors say Hennen is the fixer behind the biggest point-shaving scandal in history, accused of bribing 39 college players, corrupting 17 programs and fixing — or trying fix — 29 games to enrich himself and other gamblers.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
Blakeney then recruited other players on the team, corrupting the integrity of games, according to the indictment.
—Paulina Dedaj , Ryan Morik , Andrew Fone, FOXNews.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Political opponents appear as corrupting forces, stripped of individual texture.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Achim Kempf, the Chair for Physics of Information and AI in the Department of Applied Mathematics, and Koji Yamaguchi, then a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Waterloo, co-discovered a method to copy quantum information without corrupting it.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
In his Phaedrus, Plato attacked reading as corrupting true philosophical dialectic.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
Richard Pazdur, a longtime cancer drug regulator, retired from the CDER director post in December due to concerns that political officials were corrupting the agency’s scientific process.
—Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
In this way at least, the mayor follows in the path of Socrates by corrupting the young.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
But now, federal prosecutors say Hennen is the fixer behind the biggest point-shaving scandal in history, accused of bribing 39 college players, corrupting 17 programs and fixing — or trying fix — 29 games to enrich himself and other gamblers.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
Blakeney then recruited other players on the team, corrupting the integrity of games, according to the indictment.
—Paulina Dedaj , Ryan Morik , Andrew Fone, FOXNews.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Political opponents appear as corrupting forces, stripped of individual texture.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Achim Kempf, the Chair for Physics of Information and AI in the Department of Applied Mathematics, and Koji Yamaguchi, then a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Waterloo, co-discovered a method to copy quantum information without corrupting it.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupting
Verb
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Scientists have also observed that these electrical signals become more active when the hyphae of wood-decomposing fungi come into contact with wood, suggesting fungi might use this signaling to relay information about nutrients or damage across their networks.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
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These electrical signals become more active when the hyphae of wood-decomposing fungi touch wood.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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More than 100 aircraft launched from land and sea in the first day, with cyber and space campaigns degrading Iranian communications and sensors while the air campaign struck command-and-control centers, ballistic-missile sites, naval forces and intelligence infrastructure.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
However, having a physical tether limits reliable range, with performance degrading beyond about 20 kilometers (12 miles) as cables snap under stress.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Saudi Arabia may still be able to get its tankers through the Red Sea by bribing the Houthis, Axios reports.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Two executives of a large utility, FirstEnergy, are now on trial for allegedly bribing Randazzo, who died by suicide after his own indictment.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last year, the Dominican Republic deported more than 100,000 Haitians back to their disintegrating country.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The meteor traveled about 58 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 29 miles above tiny Calflax in unincorporated Fresno County, Cooke said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Mar. 2026
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For his purposes of subverting elections, creating uncertainty may be nearly as effective as a real policy change.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the left, he’s heralded as the only voice capable of seducing young men disaffected by party politics.—
Abigail Sylvor Greenberg,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
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One of her alternate personalities — the cold and calculating Samantha — joins law enforcement to pursue her father’s killers, while other identities begin to surface with their own motives, seducing and manipulating powerful men as Sylvia’s search for justice veers into vengeance.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Major dental work to remove her broken and decaying teeth, concentrated nutrition, antibiotics, vaccines, a spay surgery and an introduction to such simple luxuries as an indoor bed and gentle touch have all been part of Gertie’s healing.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Searching the room for clues, Hole spots a decaying hand arranged on the shelf with the thumb removed and the index finger pointing upwards — to the fifth floor.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Corrupting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrupting. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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