The meaning of CORRUPT is to change from good to bad in morals, manners, or actions; also : bribe.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Don’t let your friends corrupt you (= have a bad moral influence on you). If information in a computer is corrupted, it is damaged and can no longer …

Someone who is corrupt behaves in a way that is morally wrong, especially by doing dishonest or illegal things in return for money or power. ...to save the nation from corrupt politicians of both parties. He …

Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. …

CORRUPT definition: guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked. See examples of corrupt used in a sentence.

1. lacking in integrity; open to or involving bribery or other dishonest practices: a corrupt official; corrupt practices in an election.

Nov 5, 2025 · From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”).

Corrupt is an adjective and verb that describes something or someone that is morally or ethically compromised, dishonest, or depraved, often involving a misuse of power, integrity, or values.

Corrupt, dishonest, venal apply to one, esp. in public office, who acts on mercenary motives, without regard to honor, right, or justice. A corrupt politician is one originally honest who has succumbed to …

Definition of corrupt. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.