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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corruption
All the same, there’s a grim satisfaction in seeing exactly how the corruption sets in.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Madagascans have since soured on the 51-year-old leader however, blaming his government for poor service delivery and corruption in the impoverished country of some 31 million people.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.
—Darlene Superville, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
She was particularly put off when the men, citing past cases of police corruption, suggested that law enforcement might have somehow been implicated in Scott’s death.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Madagascans have since soured on the 51-year-old leader however, blaming his government for poor service delivery and corruption in the impoverished country of some 31 million people.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.
—Darlene Superville, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
She was particularly put off when the men, citing past cases of police corruption, suggested that law enforcement might have somehow been implicated in Scott’s death.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corruption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corruption
Noun
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Maritime rescue officials recovered the remains, which were in an advanced state of decomposition, and transported them to the port of Ibiza, the newspaper reported.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Eventually, the natural fungal spores will colonize, and decomposition will begin.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Backcountry recreationalist may experience a rapid degradation in weather conditions, and should be prepared for winter conditions.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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Past research in the Arctic has identified tens of thousands of methane seeps -- many of them linked to climate change impacts and the degradation of cryospheric caps, such as glacial ice, permafrost and gas hydrates, the authors said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hank isn’t being accused of mere immorality, after all; he’s being accused of rape, which was also a crime back in Kierkegaard’s days.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Beyond the inherent immorality of thoughtlessly torturing and killing birds and wildlife, Death Pipes are an example of the hidden toll that people and their structures are exacting on nature.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Produced by the slow decay of radioactive particles, which is a natural process that occurs in all rocks, geothermal energy was long considered too expensive and geographically constrained to compete with other renewables.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
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Linda didn’t truly solve any of those problems — not her child’s illness, not her client’s own motherhood panic, not her ceiling’s decay.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Nadal believes clay-court tennis at night is something like a sin against the sport, but 2020 was the first year in which Court Philippe-Chatrier held a session that went past darkness.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The series builds to an act of hauntingly heinous evil.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
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No one in Rader’s family, his friends at church, or his co-workers had any idea that evil lived among them.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That was really what helped me into the character and into her evilness.—
William Earl,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As Rogers’ rocky form will testify, Villa’s attacking struggles have not been through a lack of service, but rather the profligacy in possession.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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More political turmoil in the world fourth-largest economy could rattle the bond market as investors gauge whether the next leader will lean toward fiscal discipline or more profligacy.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Corruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corruption. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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