1
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the ancient Egyptians used special preservatives to spare their dead from complete corruption
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the corruption of the upper classes eventually led to the fall of the Roman empire
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3
as in immorality
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
Socrates was put to death because the ancient Athenians believed he was spreading corruption to their youth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corruption
The weekend that was • A mass resignation of prosecutors related to the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has sparked a crisis inside President Donald Trump’s Justice Department.
—
Andrew Torgan, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
And in New York, a tense standoff played out over the Trump Justice Department’s efforts to drop, at least for now, corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
That meeting alone is enough for a federal corruption probe, according to Tom Brennan, the family's private investigator for nearly a decade and a former Pennsylvania state trooper.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025
What are the accusations against USAID? Over the weekend and into Monday, Musk fired off a series of posts on X that accused the agency of corruption.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for corruption 
Andrew Torgan, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
And in New York, a tense standoff played out over the Trump Justice Department’s efforts to drop, at least for now, corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
That meeting alone is enough for a federal corruption probe, according to Tom Brennan, the family's private investigator for nearly a decade and a former Pennsylvania state trooper.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025
What are the accusations against USAID? Over the weekend and into Monday, Musk fired off a series of posts on X that accused the agency of corruption.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for corruption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corruption
Noun
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The degradation of batteries is a challenge that bedevils all sorts of electronics.—
Asher Price,
Axios,
7 Feb. 2025
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However, over time and age, exposure to the sun and other environmental factors, heat styling, and chemical treatment can deplete the volume in the hair through degradation and damage.—
Molly Peck,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The film cares more for Romy’s enveloping sense of self than the depths of her immorality.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
26 Dec. 2024
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What captivated me about the series was its unwillingness to sugarcoat the immorality of man.—
Jason Parham,
WIRED,
26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Those folks even named the local wildlife refuge after swinging Sony Bono, but what came next was toxic salinity and decay as less water came in and the water that remained increased in salinity.—
Dennis Hinkamp,
The Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2025
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Introduced in the 1940s to combat tooth decay, around 63 percent of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), though this is not federally mandated.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
2 Feb. 2025
Noun
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If those are the heights, imagine the depths of condemnation such a player faces if for the sin of failing to measure up.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
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Emilia Pérez’s sins of misrepresentation were legion.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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More specifically, the two gatekeepers are tasked with preventing whatever evil lurks at the bottom of the ravine from getting out into the world.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Feb. 2025
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Prosecutors had depicted the ladies on death row—some of whom had been judged guilty of killing their own children—as embodiments of evil.—
Daniel Zalewski,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Two years after Sri Lankans rose up and cast out a political dynasty whose profligacy had brought economic ruin, the country is in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime reinvention.—
Pamodi Waravita,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2025
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Jesus’ injury history and Havertz’s profligacy are concerns and both came to the fore during their FA Cup exit against Manchester United on Sunday.—
James McNicholas,
The Athletic,
13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near corruption
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corruption. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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