venal
Americanadjective
-
willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary.
a venal judge.
- Synonyms:
- corruptible, bribable
- Antonyms:
- incorruptible
-
able to be purchased, as by a bribe.
venal acquittals.
-
associated with or characterized by bribery.
a venal administration; venal agreements.
adjective
-
easily bribed or corrupted; mercenary
a venal magistrate
-
characterized by corruption
a venal civilization
-
open to purchase, esp by bribery
a venal contract
Related Words
See corrupt.
Other Word Forms
- nonvenal adjective
- nonvenally adverb
- unvenal adjective
- venality noun
- venally adverb
Etymology
Origin of venal
1645–55; < Latin vēnālis, equivalent to vēn ( um ) (accusative) for sale ( vend ) + -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
MacKenzie Scott donated $700 million to more than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities, showing that not all tech billionaires are selfish and venal.
From Los Angeles Times
Frank Capra, the multiple Academy Award winner whose everyman heroes symbolized the American spirit triumphing over mercenary or venal big business and big government, died Tuesday at his desert retirement home.
From Los Angeles Times
But that, of course, is the slippery pleasure of “Relay,” which pits individuals against venal institutional might.
From Los Angeles Times
But, again, they are worth laughing at for their venal stupidity, empty reasoning, and sheer chutzpah in preaching the unbelievable to the unknowing and uncaring.
From Salon
We shouldn’t discount the venal draw of a show like this, which is that plenty of Gibson’s followers probably still believe in her, although they might not admit it openly.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
