bribes 1 of 2

noun

plural of bribe
as in incentives
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision that judge refused a huge bribe to dismiss the charges against the wealthy defendant

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bribes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bribe
as in buys
to influence someone with a bribe meat inspectors were bribed, and the contaminated beef was sold to the public

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bribes
Noun
Security analysts speculate that many are willing to talk about their bribes to politicians, in hopes of reducing their sentences. — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office on Thursday defended its decision to sue Kansas City over a contracting program using a plaintiff who had pleaded guilty to paying bribes for contracts years ago. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026 Prior to the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were appointed by state legislatures, in many cases with the help of hefty bribes, rather than elected. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026 According to the indictment, Convit plotted with influential business people with access to the highest levels of government, including top PDVSA lawyers and executives accused of accepting bribes. — Jay Weaver july 21, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026 Eight Chicago White Sox players were banned for life from Major League Baseball after being accused of taking bribes to lose the 1919 World Series. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 Last week, a Chinese court sentenced a municipal official in Nanjing to death for accepting bribes worth a staggering $325 million, one of the biggest hauls ever. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 July 2026 Then, in 2016, Correia used his position as mayor to solicit bribes from and extort prospective marijuana businesses seeking to operate in the city. — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 July 2026 Yang Youlin also was convicted of embezzlement, offering bribes, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power and money laundering in one of the most dramatic corruption cases in recent years in terms of the sheer scale of the bribes involved. — ABC News, 6 July 2026
Verb
In one of the film’s most madcap and darkly comedic moments, Linda bribes her daughter with the promise of a pet hamster — who turns out to be a biter, desperate to escape its box. — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribes
  1. incentives
  2. buys
  3. fixes
  4. lures
  5. seduces
  6. poisons
  7. corrupts
  8. entices
Noun
  • Policies that weaken incentives to invest in biomedical research ultimately put future breakthroughs and future patients at risk.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • The company considered workforce availability, infrastructure readiness, expansion capacity, partnerships, incentives, and access to aerospace and advanced manufacturing talent.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of incentives
Verb
  • When a healthcare business buys in volume, suppliers offer substantial discounts, a discount that can be passed on to the patients.
    — Dr. Beh Chun Chuan, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Wall Street is buzzing about Bending Spoons , an Italian tech conglomerate that buys mature internet brands and cuts their expenses using artificial intelligence.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 27 July 2026
Definition of buys
Noun
  • In many cases, putting off repairs can lead to bigger breakdowns, higher energy bills and much more expensive fixes down the road.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 25 July 2026
  • Awareness is building, the mechanics are well understood and the fixes are cheap and non-clinical.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Definition of fixes
Verb
  • Final Thoughts on How to Fish a Popper A popper is one of the most versatile topwater lures out there.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2026
  • Now the economy consists of a bit of hunting and bird-watching that lures a few hardy tourists aboard the two flights a week that serve the island.
    — Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 20 July 2026
Definition of lures
Verb
  • In the video, then-23-year-old Gugino plays a young woman who, after her rock star boyfriend cheats on her with her best friend, seduces an artist painting her portrait.
    — Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
  • With its winning trifecta of sandy beaches, boutique hotels, and unpretentious tavernas, the Greek island of Milos seduces couples, water lovers, and gastronomes alike.
    — Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026
Definition of seduces
Verb
  • Despite her initial disinterest, Kara develops a personal stake when Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts), the one who killed Ruthye's parents and brother, poisons her dog Krypto.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
  • In the film, Cady also poisons the family dog, Benjamin.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Definition of poisons
Verb
  • Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026
  • One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of corrupts
Verb
  • Guadalupe River State Park entices visitors with its cool waters for tubing, paddling, and swimming and family-friendly campgrounds.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
  • The play, which won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize this year, entices on the page despite seeming overstuffed and curiously decentralized.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of entices

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bribes
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Cite this Entry

“Bribes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribes. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bribes for Spanish Speakers

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