as in incentive
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to lure
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.
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Recent Examples of bribe
Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
In response, Amazon pushed back against the notion that its financial commitment was a bribe.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order pausing new investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits citizens and companies from bribing foreign entities to advance their business interests.
—Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Noun
Over time, the brother earned the trust of party loyalists and built close relationships with local security officers, aided by bribes.
—Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
In response, Amazon pushed back against the notion that its financial commitment was a bribe.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Asha was bribing people to use a scale!
—Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order pausing new investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits citizens and companies from bribing foreign entities to advance their business interests.
—Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bribe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bribe
Noun
-
There are no performance incentive payments or cost-of-living increase for senior leadership in the current fiscal year, according to a budget overview, and no incentive payments for anyone in the coming fiscal year starting July 1.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In 2022, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to adopt an equity performance incentive, explicitly holding the system accountable for reaching low-income households, renters, and communities of color.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Last week, the prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments after Horner lured her inside the FedEx van.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Red-hot demand for server products has lured memory suppliers into concentrating on the high-speed processors for those machines.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Easy fixes Barnett sees the overuse of acronyms as a relatively minor problem compared with broader issues in science, such as fraud.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
If Chicago continues to avoid consolidation, however, the pressure for more drastic fixes will grow.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The recruitment has been part of that — Leipzig bought well and sold the players who needed to leave — but Werner has handled a young squad particularly well, minimising the volatility that was such a feature of their football last season.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This simply cannot be done without the ability to buy land.—
Susan Carr,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beginning with the stimulus of a cup or two of strong coffee, fifteen-year-old Columbia College sophomore George Templeton Strong started a diary in 1835.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The project aims to produce materials that change their mechanical properties and shape in response to external light stimuli.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Every summer, stylish crowds congregate along France’s southeastern shores, seduced by the glamorous promise of the French Riviera, spending their days sipping overpriced cocktails at the high-end resorts that line its sandy beaches as if plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photo.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
24 Apr. 2026
-
To speak in verse is to tease, to cajole, to seduce, all actions that suggest an excess of desire.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Although the trial may have gone in Scott's favor, Gill was highly critical of the Middletown narcotic detective's actions and questioned his motivation.—
Juliet Pennington,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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This tax finally gave companies motivation to prioritize accounting for these societal costs.—
Larz May,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His frame and traits are enticing.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Office renovations and conversions in Charlotte Post-COVID, office towers have to either entice people to come back to the cubicle or change uses.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bribe. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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