bribery
BRY-ber-ee
/ˈbraɪbəri/
The giving or offering of a bribe (money or favor) to influence the action of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty.
Can be subtle, such as 'facilitation payments' or expensive gifts, not just envelopes of cash.
The story behind the word. Originally from the Old French 'briber', meaning to beg. It referred to a piece of bread given to a beggar. Over time, it shifted from 'alms' to a gift given to influence someone.
Word relationships
- graft: Graft specifically refers to political corruption where public funds are diverted for personal gain.
Commonly confused with
- extortion: Bribery is offering a reward to get what you want; extortion is using threats to get what you want.
Word family
- bribe (verb/noun): To persuade someone to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly.
Collocations
- allegations of bribery
- bribery and corruption
- accept a bribe
Idioms & expressions
- grease someone's palm
- pay-to-play
Example sentences
- "The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) makes it illegal for US companies to engage in bribery of foreign officials." International Business
Memory hook
Bribery is 'Bribing' your way into 'Robbery' of the system's fairness. Pay for a favor.
When not to use
Don't use for 'tipping' a waiter, which is a standard service reward, not an attempt to subvert rules.
Fun facts
- In some cultures, small 'facilitation payments' were once considered a normal part of doing business, but international laws have largely criminalized them.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.