corrupt (English) - Vocabulary & GRE App

corrupt

EN • English

//kəˈɹʌpt//

Direct German Translations & Equivalents:

Click any term below to jump straight to its full vocabulary entry in German:

[DE]korrupt [DE]verderben [DE]korrumpieren

Definitions & Usage

adjective

Willing to act dishonestly for personal gain; accepting bribes.

Synonyms:

corrupted

adjective

In a depraved state; debased; perverted; morally degenerate; weak in morals.

Example: “The government here is corrupt, so we'll emigrate to escape them.”

Synonyms:

corrupted

adjective

Abounding in errors; not genuine or correct; in an invalid state.

Example: “The text of the manuscript is corrupt.”

Example: “It turned out that the program was corrupt - that's why it wouldn't open.”

Synonyms:

corrupted

adjective

In a putrid state; spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound.

Synonyms:

corrupted

verb

(transitive) To make corrupt; to change from good to bad; to draw away from the right path; to deprave; to pervert.

Example: “Don't you dare corrupt my son with those disgusting pictures!”

Synonyms:

defile lead astray sully warp desecrate profanate profane profanize

verb

(archaic, intransitive) To become putrid, tainted, or otherwise impure; to putrefy; to rot.

Synonyms:

decay decompose fester

verb

(transitive) To introduce errors; to place into an invalid state.

Example: “Unplugging a flash drive without dismounting it first can corrupt the data stored on the drive.”

verb

To debase or make impure by alterations or additions; to falsify.

Example: “to corrupt language, or a holy text”

Example: “to corrupt a book”

Synonyms:

adulter bastardize sophisticate abase adulterate adulterize alloy balderdash

verb

To waste, spoil, or consume; to make worthless.

Synonyms:

mar ruin vitiate ball up blight bumble botch bugger up

Notable Literary & Historical Quotes

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.”

— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 6:11:

“At what ease Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt To swear against you.”

— 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

“with such corrupt and pestilent bread to feed them.”

— 1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC: