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adj. 1. Marked by immorality and perversion; depraved. 2. Venal or dishonest: a corrupt mayor. 3. Containing errors or alterations, especially ones that prevent proper understanding or use: a corrupt translation; a corrupt computer file. 4. Archaic Tainted; putrid. v. cor·rupt·ed, cor·rupt·ing, cor·rupts v.tr. 1. To ruin morally; pervert: "The argument that modern life consists of a menu of horrors by which we are corrupted ... is a founding idea of the critique of modernity" (Susan Sontag). 2. To destroy or subvert the honesty or integrity of, as by offering bribes: "Our politics has been corrupted by money and suffused with meanness" (Peter Edelman). 3. a. To cause to become rotten; spoil: "There was a strange smell in the room, high and slightly sweet, like perfume corrupted in the bottle" (Bella Bathurst). b. Archaic To render impure; contaminate. 4. a. To alter from original or proper form: "Strangers named them the Chippewa, which was corrupted to Ojibway" (Paul Theroux). b. Computers To damage (data) in a file or on a disk. v.intr. To become corrupt. [Middle English, from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere, to destroy : com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + rumpere, to break; see reup- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] cor·rupter, cor·ruptor n. cor·ruptive adj. cor·ruptly adv. cor·ruptness n. Synonyms: corrupt, debase, debauch, deprave, pervert, vitiate These verbs mean to ruin utterly in character or quality: was corrupted by power; debased himself by taking the bribe; a youth debauched by drugs; led a life depraved by sensual indulgence; perverted her talent by her pursuit of commercial success; a laudable goal vitiated by dishonest means. |
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