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corrupt definition

cor·rupt (kə rupt′)

adjective

  1. Obsolete changed from a sound condition to an unsound one; spoiled; contaminated; rotten
  2. deteriorated from the normal or standard; specif.,
    1. morally unsound or debased; perverted; evil; depraved
    2. taking bribes; venal
    3. containing alterations, errors, or admixtures of foreignisms: said of texts, languages, etc.

Etymology: ME < L corruptus, pp. of corrumpere, to destroy, spoil, bribe < com-, together + rumpere, to break: see rupture

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to make or become corrupt

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

corrupt Synonyms

corrupt

modif.

  1. Characterized by graft

    dishonest, crooked, underhanded, venal, mercenary, fraudulent, unscrupulous, profiteering, extortionate, taking bribes, bribable, unethical, shady*, on the pad*, on the take*, fixed*, bought*, crooked as a dog's hind leg*; see also dishonest 1, 2.

  2. Depraved

    low, debased, evil, nefarious; see wicked 1.

  3. Inaccurate

    fallacious, misleading, contaminated, defective; see unreliable 2, wrong 2.


corrupt

v.

  1. To debase

    pervert, vitiate, degrade, bribe, suborn, adulterate, depreciate, deprave, debauch, defile, demoralize, pollute, taint, contaminate, infect, stain, spoil, ruin, alloy, bastardize, blight, blemish, mark against, undermine, subvert, impair, mar, injure, harm, hurt, damage, deface, disfigure, deform, abuse, mistreat, misuse, dishonor, disgrace, despoil, violate, demean, lower, pull down, reduce, weaken, abase, poison, warp, mislead, misguide, cause to degenerate, cause to deteriorate; see also bribe.

    Antonyms purify, clean*, restore. *

  2. To render inaccurate

    falsify, misrepresent, misstate, alter, garble, disguise, color, gloss over, varnish, counterfeit, adulterate, contaminate, taint, fabricate, invent, twist, warp, tamper with, doctor, fix*, pad*; see also disguise, forge 1. See syn. study at debase.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

corrupt Usage Examples

Object

  • influence: Public anxiety about the potentially corrupting influence of the new language was constant from its birth.

Preposition: on

  • filehost: Also, if the files get corrupted on the filehost or during download, the client is very likely to crash.

Subject

  • sin: How could his best, which was corrupted by sin, be acceptable in any way to a Holy God?

Modifies a noun

  • dictator: Much was siphoned off into the Swiss bank accounts of corrupt African dictators.

Modifying Another Word

  • morally: Tho stupid and morally corrupt in the petty sense, I do not think this man would order a murder.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: Paper won't suffer from system failures at critical times or become corrupt ( you can't hack something already on paper!

Preposition: by

  • sin: How could his best, which was corrupted by sin, be acceptable in any way to a Holy God?
corrupt usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

corrupt quotes

Beauty is as summer-fruits, which are easy to corrupt, and cannot last.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.

-Burke, Edmund

Anyone happy in this age and place Is daft or corrupt. Better to abdicate From a material and spiritual terrain Fit only for barbarians.

-Fuller, Roy Broadbent

corrupt quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"corrupt." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/corrupt>

APA Style

corrupt. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/corrupt

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