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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
  • Tulips bulbs left in the ground will rot unless they are planted in an area with good drainage.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
  • While rotting wood needs replacement, the car’s steel frame remains in good condition due to decades of indoor storage, Phalon said.
    David M. Zimmer, USA Today, 8 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
  • The band canceled these tour dates due to singer and guitarist DeLonge getting sick.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2025
  • His mother was still sick, and Mr. Sancho-Persad started working as her caregiver in the morning for $18.75 an hour, paid through Medicaid, while still driving his cab at night.
    Jonah Markowitz, New York Times, 8 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
  • Project 2025 is explicitly derived from the processes used by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to subvert his country’s democracy and by Russian leader Vladimir Putin to subvert the inchoate democratic movement after the fall of the Soviet Union.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
  • With a limited color palette and very spare design, the show subverts the commonplace elements of an office and invents a haunting visual language all its own that creeps you out while drawing you in.
    Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 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 22 Apr. 2025.

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