bribe
Americannoun
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money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person's performance as an athlete, public official, etc..
The motorist offered the arresting officer a bribe to let him go.
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anything given or serving to persuade or induce.
The children were given candy as a bribe to be good.
verb (used with object)
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to give or promise a bribe to.
They bribed the reporter to forget about what he had seen.
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to influence or corrupt by a bribe.
The judge was too honest to be bribed.
verb (used without object)
verb
noun
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a reward, such as money or favour, given or offered for this purpose
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any persuasion or lure
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a length of flawed or damaged cloth removed from the main piece
Usage
What does bribe mean? A bribe is money or something else of value offered or given to someone to get them to do something you want them to do, especially something they’re not supposed to do. Bribe can also be used as a verb meaning to offer or give someone a bribe. The act of doing so is called bribery. In most cases, this refers to the often illegal act of offering money to people in official positions, like politicians, government officials, or sports referees, in order to get them to change an outcome to be more favorable to the person offering the bribe. For example, a businessperson might bribe a senator to vote a certain way, which is of course illegal. Bribe can also refer to offering an incentive (or the incentive itself) to someone to do something, especially a child, as in I tried bribing the kids with TV time as a reward for cleaning up their room, but apparently even bribes don’t work because they didn’t do it. Example: The video clearly shows the lobbyist presenting the senator a briefcase full of money as a bribe for a favorable vote—it’s an open-and-shut case of bribery.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bribe
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French: remnant of food given as alms, said to be < an expressive base *bri ( m ) b- denoting something small
Explanation
You pay a bribe to get someone to do something they wouldn't do otherwise. It's usually dishonest and often criminal. Bribes can be utterly corrupt and illegal — like when you offer a bribe to a politician so she'll make a decision in your favor. On the other hand, a bribe can be somewhat benign — like when your mom bribes you with an ice cream if you play with your little brother. When you bribe someone, you can say you're "greasing their palm."
Vocabulary lists containing bribe
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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Bronx Masquerade
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The Devil's Arithmetic
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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.
In the lower court ruling, one of the handbags was not recognised as a bribe because it had been gifted to Kim before her husband's presidential inauguration.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
That’s true but misleading, because they essentially bribe venues to use Ticketmaster.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
The indictment against Bezalel Zini also accuses him of fraud, receiving a bribe, and tax offences.
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026
He added, “How can it not be equated with currying favor or an outright bribe? How can that not be the case?”
From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026
Meanwhile, Mother is raising money for a bribe that will get him some food, so five years and “life” won’t be the same sentence.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
