bribes 1 of 2

noun

plural of bribe
as in incentives
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision that judge refused a huge bribe to dismiss the charges against the wealthy defendant

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bribes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bribe
as in buys
to influence someone with a bribe meat inspectors were bribed, and the contaminated beef was sold to the public

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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 bribes
Noun
In another scheme, former Commerce City Manager Edgar Pascual Cisneros provided $45,000 in bribes to Pacheco to secure a permit for another marijuana company and was promised $235,000 as part of the deal, prosecutors said. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors said a corruption network operated from 2008 to 2018, collecting bribes equal to 4% of the value of the project carried out by Sinohydro. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors said Santana was paid thousands in bribes for smuggling contraband into the facility between May 2024 and June 2025. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 But the judge also noted Krneta’s dual role in facilitating the corruption of Tobolski, both paying bribes and collecting extortion payments from other contractors on the then-mayor’s behalf. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Other businesses in economic sectors such as health, infrastructure and automobiles were forced to pay bribes and fees to companies linked to Khamenei and his family to continue to operate. — Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Federal prosecutors have long claimed that Thao accepted bribes from Andy Duong and his father, David, including political favors and $95,000 toward a $300,000 no-show job for Jones. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 27 July 2026 Security analysts speculate that many are willing to talk about their bribes to politicians, in hopes of reducing their sentences. — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office on Thursday defended its decision to sue Kansas City over a contracting program using a plaintiff who had pleaded guilty to paying bribes for contracts years ago. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
Verb
In one of the film’s most madcap and darkly comedic moments, Linda bribes her daughter with the promise of a pet hamster — who turns out to be a biter, desperate to escape its box. — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribes
  1. incentives
  2. buys
  3. fixes
  4. lures
  5. seduces
  6. poisons
  7. corrupts
  8. entices
Noun
  • Industry stakeholders argued that the measure had the unintended consequence of hamstringing Hollywood’s recovery by limiting the ability of studios to use state incentives for in-state production.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Pritzker even signed a 2019 bill that encouraged the use of tax incentives to help ensure data-center growth.
    — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of incentives
Verb
  • China buys the overwhelming majority of Iran’s crude through opaque trading networks that bypass sanctions.
    — Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • When a billionaire buys a $100 million mansion, for example, the purchase price largely goes to the South Florida seller.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of buys
Noun
  • Microsoft is changing Windows PC updates next month, forcing restarts to enable specific security component fixes to install, before normal hotpatching resumes in October.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • From overnight experiments to six-second fixes The resulting controller was tested against seven types of faults.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fixes
Verb
  • The show lures corporate sponsors to the marketing mecca, where brands hope to convert experience seekers into true believers, eventually disciples.
    — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Scott said of his guidance for production designer Chris Seavers, who was tasked with creating the creepy airport where off-kilter flight attendant Allison Janney lures the film’s heroes to potential doom.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lures
Verb
  • Andie, as research for an article about modern dating, seduces Benjamin and then transforms herself into the girlfriend from hell.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • This is not the beautiful creature who seduces Odysseus in the poem.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of seduces
Verb
  • Set in 2029 in a future where no mutants have been born in 25 years, Jackman plays an older, grizzlier Wolverine, one whose healing factor is fading as his adamantium skeleton slowly poisons him.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Any infection can progress to a systemic disease that poisons the blood and body.
    — RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of poisons
Verb
  • Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026
  • One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of corrupts
Verb
  • When Idrissa Gueye’s pass to Vitalii Mykolenko entices Curtis Jones to press the left-back, Dewsbury-Hall and McNeil spot the space behind Ibrahima Konate and attack it.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The main sticking point is Real Madrid’s failure to offer something that entices both City and the player, whose contract expires at the Etihad on June 30, 2027.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of entices

Browse Nearby Words

bribers
bribes
bribing
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Cite this Entry

“Bribes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribes. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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