bribe

[brahyb]

bribe Definition

• 1. something, often money, that is given or offered to someone in order to persuade them to do something dishonest or illegal
• 2. to give or offer something, often money, to someone in order to persuade them to do something dishonest or illegal

Using bribe: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "bribe" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  He was accused of taking bribes from local businesses.

• Example

  The company offered him a bribe to keep quiet about the safety violations.

• Example

  She refused to accept the bribe and reported the incident to the authorities.

bribe Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for bribe

• payoff
• inducement
• kickback
• sweetener
• backhander

Antonyms for bribe

• forfeit
• penalty

Phrases with bribe

• take a bribe

  to accept a bribe

  Example

  The politician was caught taking a bribe from a wealthy businessman.

• offer a bribe

  to give or propose a bribe

  Example

  The company tried to offer a bribe to the inspector to overlook the safety violations.

• bribe someone into doing something

  to persuade someone to do something by offering a bribe

  Example

  The coach tried to bribe the referee into making favorable calls for his team.

Origins of bribe

from Old French 'briber', meaning 'beg, borrow, cheat'

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Summary: bribe in Brief

'Bribe' [brahyb] refers to something, often money, given or offered to persuade someone to do something dishonest or illegal. It can be used as a verb, as in 'The company offered him a bribe to keep quiet about the safety violations,' or as a noun, as in 'He was accused of taking bribes from local businesses.' Other phrases include 'take a bribe,' 'offer a bribe,' and 'bribe someone into doing something.'