corrupt

kuh-RUPT/kəˈɹʌpt/

9 meanings of corrupt

1
adjective
Ready to act in dishonest ways for money or personal gain, often by taking bribes.
Like a referee who takes secret money to help one team win.
The corrupt official demanded a bribe before approving the permit.
Voters removed the mayor once they saw how corrupt he was.
Similardishonest, crooked, venal, unscrupulous
Oppositehonest, incorruptible, upright
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2
verbtransitive
To change a person or thing from good to bad, especially in their morals or honesty.
Like one rotten apple that slowly spoils the whole basket.
Power can corrupt even the most honest leaders.
Constant flattery slowly corrupted the young prince.
Similarwarp, pervert, debase, deprave
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3
adjective
Full of errors, or damaged so that it no longer works correctly.
Like a book with so many printing mistakes you cannot follow the story.
The download failed and left the file corrupt.
Scholars found the ancient manuscript corrupt in several passages.
Similardamaged, unreadable, invalid
Oppositeintact, valid
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4
verbtransitive
To damage data or a file so that it contains errors and no longer works.
Like spilling water on a notebook so the writing smears and cannot be read.
A sudden power loss can corrupt the files on your computer.
The virus corrupted thousands of records overnight.
Similardamage, scramble
5
adjective
Having very low morals and acting in a wicked or shameful way.
Like a fine house that is rotting away inside where no one can see.
The novel describes a corrupt court obsessed with cruelty and pleasure.
He sank into a corrupt and reckless way of life.
Similardepraved, degenerate, debauched, decadent, immoral
Oppositevirtuous, moral, upright, pure
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6
verbtransitive
To spoil something by changing it or adding bad things, or to make it fake.
Like mixing dirty water into clean juice so it is no longer pure.
Dishonest merchants would corrupt the wine with water and cheap spirits.
He was accused of corrupting the company's records to hide the losses.
Similardebase, adulterate, falsify, taint
7
adjective
Gone bad, rotten, or unsafe to use.
Like milk that has turned sour and smells too bad to drink.
The well water was corrupt and made several villagers sick.
They threw out the corrupt meat before it spread its stench.
Similarputrid, rotten, spoiled, tainted, foul
Oppositefresh, wholesome, sound
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8
verbtransitive
To spoil or use up something until it has no value left.
Like food left out so long that you have to throw it all away.
Damp and mold can corrupt stored grain within a single season.
Decades of neglect had corrupted the family's once-great wealth.
Similarspoil, ruin, waste
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Less common meaning

9
verbarchaicintransitive
To go bad and rot, like meat left out in the heat too long.
Like fruit that turns brown and soft until you cannot eat it.
Without salt, the meat would soon corrupt in the summer heat.
he entrails, which are the parts aptest to corrupt
1627, Francis [Bacon], “VIII. Century.”Here, corrupt means to go bad and rot.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin corruptus, from a verb meaning to break, ruin, or spoil.