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   Cor·rupt

   /kəˈrəpt/

   

   adjective

   • 1. having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain: "unscrupulous logging companies assisted by corrupt officials" Similar dishonestdishonorableunscrupulousunprincipledamoraluntrustworthyunderhanddeceitfuldouble-dealingdisreputablediscreditableshamefulscandalouscorruptiblebribablebuyablevenalfraudulentswindlinggraftingcriminallawlessfeloniousvillainousnefariousiniquitousmalfeasantinformal:crookedshadytrickydirtylowdownrascallyscoundrellybentdodgyarchaic:hollow-heartedOpposite honestlaw-abiding
   • ▪ evil or morally depraved: "the play can do no harm since its audience is already corrupt" Similar sinfulungodlyunholyirreligiousunrighteousprofaneblasphemousimpiousimpureimmoraldepraveddegeneratereprobatevice-riddenperverteddebaucheddissolutedissipatedintemperatedecadentprofligatewantonabandonedimmodestlustfullasciviouslewdlecheroussordidbadwickedevilbaselowinformal:warpedOpposite moral
   • 2. (of a text or a computer database or program) made unreliable by errors or alterations: "a progressively corrupt magnetic record is usable nonetheless"
   • 3. (of organic or inorganic matter) in a state of decay; rotten or putrid: archaic "a corrupt and rotting corpse"

   verb

   • 1. cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain: "there is a continuing fear of firms corrupting politicians in the search for contracts" Similar bribesubornbuybuy offpay offinformal:grease someone's palmgive someone a backhandergive someone a sweetenerkeep someone sweetget atfixsquarenobbleOpposite purge
   • ▪ cause to become morally depraved: "he has corrupted the boy" Similar pervertdebauchdepravewarpsubvertmake degeneratelead astraydebasedegradedefilesullyinfectinfluencearchaic:demoralizeOpposite purify
   • 2. change or debase by making errors or unintentional alterations: "Epicurus's teachings have since been much corrupted" Similar alterfalsifymanipulatetamper withinterfere withtinker withdoctordistortadulteratebastardizedilutecontaminatetaintinformal:cookfiddlerare:vitiate
   • ▪ cause errors to appear in (a computer program or database): "a program that has somehow corrupted your system files"
   • 3. infect; contaminate: archaic "the corrupting smell of death" Similar bribesubornbuybuy offpay offinformal:grease someone's palmgive someone a backhandergive someone a sweetenerkeep someone sweetget atfixsquarenobblepervertdebauchdepravewarpsubvertmake degeneratelead astraydebasedegradedefilesullyinfectinfluencearchaic:demoralizeOpposite purgepurify

   Word Origin Middle English: from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’, from cor- ‘altogether’ + rumpere ‘to break’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. corrupter noun
   • 2. corruptible adjective
   • 3. corruptive adjective
   • 4. corruptly adverb
   • 5. corruptness noun

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • C

     3

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • R

     1

   • U

     1

   • P

     3

   • T

     1

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