SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
corrupt
adjective / verb
Dishonest or willing to misuse a position for improper gain.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Dishonest or unprincipled
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topVenal and bribable emphasize susceptibility to improper payment; corrupt is broader.
Damage moral integrity
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topBribery is one way of corrupting someone. Debauch and deprave are stronger, more formal terms for damaging moral character.
Damage a correct condition or data
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topFor a digital file, corruption damages data integrity; it need not make the file wholly unreadable. Vitiate is formal and also applies to arguments or procedures.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See corrupt in use
The fictional inspector was corrupt and accepted gifts to overlook violations.
A corrupt depot manager in the novel demanded private gifts before releasing supplies that families were already entitled to collect under the story's rules.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license