cumshaw

noun

ˈkəm-ˌshȯ How to pronounce cumshaw (audio)
Definition of cumshawnext
1
as in bonus
something given in addition to what is ordinarily expected or owed the clerk at Calcutta airport was clearly angling for a little cumshaw on the side

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in bribe
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision the captain slipped the customs official his customary cumshaw at the Port of Shanghai

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cumshaw
  1. bonus
  2. bribe
  3. dividend
  4. gift
Noun
  • Make the call with Underdog and wager $10 to earn $50 in bonuses when using promo code FOXNEWS.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of bonus
Noun
  • The promise drew bipartisan criticism, with some even calling the idea a potential bribe.
    — Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Less than two decades later, the bond was tested by a scandal known as the XYZ Affair, in which France’s foreign minister, Talleyrand, demanded bribes from American envoys to Paris.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of bribe
Noun
  • But since making that promise in November 2025, as of this month, such dividends have yet to materialize.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Later that same day, August 4, Zuckerberg proposed a dividend of 20 shares of Class C stock for each share of Class A and B shares, paid to all shareholders.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dividend
Noun
  • The homeowner didn’t charge him rent, and the truck Buchanan drove was a gift, the woman told agents.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Abenante-Villa’s parents buried him with gifts, including a basketball jersey and sports cards.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of gift
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.

Browse Nearby Words

cummerbunds
cumshaw
cumshaws
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Cite this Entry

“Cumshaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cumshaw. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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