-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
bribery
noun
brib·ery
ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē
plural briberies
: the act or practice of giving or taking a bribe
Examples of bribery in a Sentence
They were arrested on charges of bribery.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the form, Smirnov claimed Joe Biden and Hunter Biden were involved in a corrupt bribery scheme with Burisma.
—USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2024
Combs was acquitted of gun possession and bribery charges, while Shyne was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024
Commercial bribery occurs when a person, typically an employee, without consent of the beneficiary, intentionally accepts or agrees to accept any benefit from another person on the understanding that the benefit will influence the conduct between the two, according to the law.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2024
In the government’s court papers this week, Smirnov emerges as an almost comically obvious liar, telling multiple versions of his Biden bribery story, while bragging about contacts with various foreign intelligence services.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
This indicator was chosen for analysis given the importance of having a stable system, where corruption and bribery in favor of local competitors aren’t threats to inbound investors.
—Robert Ginsburg, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
The move to prove bribery allegations false marks Weiss’s most aggressive investigative action — though none of the most critical evidence of Biden's influence-peddling comes from this source.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 23 Feb. 2024
Beyond the internal struggle, a central claim of the GOP investigation has also been undermined by federal prosecutors, who last week indicted an FBI informant who claimed there was a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving the president, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 22 Feb. 2024
Topline Alexander Smirnov, the FBI informant arrested and charged last week for lying to the agency, is the source of an explosive bribery allegation against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden that unraveled over the past week—and may doom the GOP’s impeachment inquiry into Biden.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bribery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1560, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to bribery
Dictionary Entries Near bribery
Cite this Entry
“Bribery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bribery. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
Legal Definition
bribery
noun
brib·ery
plural briberies
: the crime of giving or taking a bribe
More from Merriam-Webster on bribery
Nglish: Translation of bribery for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bribery
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share