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
Etymology
Origin of venal
1645–55; < Latin vēnālis, equivalent to vēn ( um ) (accusative) for sale ( cf. vend) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Someone with venal motives is corrupt and maybe a little evil. Nobody wants to be thought of as venal. Venal actions include taking bribes, giving jobs to your friends, and cheating. Venal means about the same thing as "corrupt" or "corruptible." Venal people are considered sleazy and untrustworthy. They're often criminals. No one is perfect, and most of us have venal motives at some point.
Vocabulary lists containing venal
30 GRE Words Beginning with "T" "U" "V" and "W"
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "V"
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The Count of Monte Cristo
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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.
They are highlights from a new Chinese television series about official corruption and loose living that is best described as “Lifestyles of the Venal and Disgraced.”
From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2016
Black sores well up on pink petals, and in his 2012 sculpture The Venal Muse: Fenside, orchidean blooms have turned into gory pustulating columns of suppurating flesh.
From The Guardian • Apr. 26, 2013
Venal businessmen, negligent regulators, careless rating companies, crafty accountants and lawyers, greedy pension-plan sponsors are all candidates, and if punishment is due, it should be meted out.
From Time Magazine Archive
Venal owners and petulant players in the majors should take note.
From Time Magazine Archive
Venal local officials sought to devour the Osage’s fortunes.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
