bribery

noun

brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē How to pronounce bribery (audio)
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
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.
Her confession to murdering her 2-year-old daughter was coerced, and the district attorney who prosecuted her case was later convicted of bribery, extortion and other crimes. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 Paxton was impeached over allegations of bribery and abuse of office to help a friend’s legal situation. — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026 At the very least, there should be some light bribery involved, not free access. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 Thao, her boyfriend Andre Jones, local businessman David Duong, and his son Andy Duong face federal charges a wide-ranging indictment alleging bribery, mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bribery

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bribery was in 1560

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bribery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bribery. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bribery

noun
brib·​ery ˈbrī-b(ə-)rē How to pronounce bribery (audio)
plural briberies
: the act or practice of bribing

Legal Definition

bribery

noun
brib·​ery
plural briberies
: the crime of giving or taking a bribe

More from Merriam-Webster on bribery

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bribery

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