CORRUPT Synonyms: 193 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

corrupt 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of corrupt

as in degraded

having or showing lowered moral character or standards corrupt businessmen who are out to fleece the public corrupt business practices that should be investigated

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

corrupt

2 of 2

verb

kə-ˈrəpt

as in to rot

to go through decomposition a dead mouse corrupting in the walls produced a terrible smell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to degrade

to lower in character, dignity, or quality some observers believe that grossly violent movies corrupt the people who watch them as well as the people who make them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bribe

to influence someone with a bribe he bragged about having corrupted half of the officials on the city council

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

The two, alongside Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, were charged with felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and related offenses. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 Four people are charged with conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, felony corrupt organizations and other offenses. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

If Romance balanced the human and the corrupted, Dopamine Chamber deliberately tips the scales. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026 The Apology is Plato’s version of the speech of self-defense Socrates gives when he is tried by the city of Athens for corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods. — Agnes Callard, The New York Review of Books, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for corrupt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrupt

Adjective

Perhaps building on degraded land, sharing space with agriculture, and designing eco-friendly infrastructure.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, degraded working conditions—see, the adjunctification discourse—make academic professionalization less and less sustainable.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of degraded

Verb

This panic is also nothing new; television was supposed to rot our brains, and radio before that, and somehow the republic survived.

— Mckenna Friedland, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Its paint was peeling, clapboards were rotting, and a tarp covered a leaking roof, according to the Times.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

Iran is expanding its defense capabilities, an Iranian army commander said Wednesday, after much of the country’s equipment was degraded by US-Israeli strikes in the early days of the war.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
The status of its nuclear program, degraded by bombing strikes in 2025, hasn't changed.

— Susan Page, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

The incidents continued back in Maryland, including outside a Chipotle, where Garcia allegedly tried to bribe the victim to touch himself in exchange for food.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, LeVota denied the allegations but identified Legislator DaRon McGee as the candidate that federal prosecutors are accusing LeVota of bribing.

— Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of bribe

Adjective

Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.

— Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Sanchez also ordered a meal from Taco Bell, but didn’t get sick.

— Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sick

Verb

Call to action In September 2025, NASA put out a call to action to save Swift, whose orbit was decaying quickly due to high solar activity.

— Leonard David, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
The $30-million mission aimed to raise Swift from a rapidly decaying orbit worsened by intense solar activity, preserving a telescope that spent two decades tracking cosmic explosions.

— Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

The film’s procedural aspect ticks along just fine, holding the attention without subverting expectations, and carried by actors who, much like the detectives in this case, are ultra-capable professionals with no inclination to go rogue on us.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
The show also pokes fun at the late 1990s and early 2000s liberal cultural consensus that was upheld in other popular culture of the time while also both replicating and subverting stereotypes of suburban Southern white Americans.

— Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of subvert

Adjective

Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines.

— Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
In addition, there are crooked cops on the inside trying to spring El Chapo, so the arresting officers need to quickly figure out who to trust.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of crooked

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corrugations

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

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