bribery
Illicit influence purchase
Bribery is the act of offering, giving, or accepting something of value to influence someone's actions—especially an official's decisions.
The bribe might be money, gifts, or favors: The senator was convicted of bribery.
Bribery corrupts institutions by substituting private incentives for public duty.
The word covers both sides of the transaction: giving and receiving.
Illicit political gain
- kickbackIllegal payment for services
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- extortionObtaining through threats
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
cronyism · malfeasance · misconduct · payola · backhander · racketeering · profiteering · sleaze
Illegal payment for services
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- sweetenerAdditive reducing bitterness
- backhanderSecret illicit payment
- baksheeshGratuity or small bribe
under-the-table · envelope · cash · sop · tribute · gratuity · dash
Something that attracts
- temptationUrge toward the unwise
- incentiveReward encouraging action
- lureThing that tempts
- sweetenerAdditive reducing bitterness
bait · carrot · allurement · offer · reward · proposition · persuasion · coaxing
Formal charge from jury
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- convictionFirmly held belief
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
witness · testimony · allegation · plea · sentencing · investigation · whistleblower · anti-corruption
Advocating to decision-makers
- swayRock back and forth
- cloutInformal power or punch
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
coercion · pressure · pull · steering · access · connections · insider · fixing
Concealed from authorities
- underhandDeceptive and secret
- secretiveInclined to conceal
- covertIntentionally concealed
- under-the-tableSecret and unofficial
illicit · unlawful · prohibited · nefarious · surreptitious · off-the-books · backdoor · undetected
Hiding wrongdoing from public
- leakEscape through a breach
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- investigationFormal examination of facts
downfall · resignation · disgrace · implicated · accused · charges · probe · inquiry
graft
Illicit political gain
- kickbackIllegal payment for services
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- extortionObtaining through threats
nepotism · cronyism · malfeasance · misconduct · payola · backhander · racketeering · profiteering · sleaze · fraud
kickback
Illegal payment for services
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- sweetenerAdditive reducing bitterness
- backhanderSecret illicit payment
baksheesh · under-the-table · envelope · cash · sop · tribute · gratuity · dash
enticement
Something that attracts
- temptationUrge toward the unwise
- incentiveReward encouraging action
- lureThing that tempts
sweetener · bait · carrot · allurement · offer · reward · proposition · persuasion · coaxing · seduction
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- convictionFirmly held belief
- trialJudicial examination of claims
evidence · witness · testimony · allegation · plea · sentencing · investigation · whistleblower · anti-corruption · transparency
lobbying
Advocating to decision-makers
manipulation · coercion · pressure · pull · steering · access · connections · insider · fixing · rigging
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
under-the-table · illicit · unlawful · prohibited · nefarious · surreptitious · off-the-books · backdoor · undetected · concealed
cover-up
Hiding wrongdoing from public
- leakEscape through a breach
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
investigation · downfall · resignation · disgrace · implicated · accused · charges · probe · inquiry · headline
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, embezzlement, nepotism
- corporate crimescorporate fraud, securities fraud, insider trading, price fixing, embezzlement
- dirty moneydirty money, ill-gotten gains, illicit funds, illicit gains, proceeds of crime
- ethics violationskickbacks, kickback, nepotism, cronyism, favoritism
- legal offensesfraud, theft, perjury, assault, battery
- official misconductmalfeasance, ethics violation, misconduct, misfeasance, nonfeasance
briberyhonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
integrity · incorruptibility · probity · rectitude · uprightness
briberyincorruptibility
Immunity to moral compromise
integrity · probity · honor · scrupulousness · virtue
- bribery scandalCorrupt payment controversy
- bribery chargesCriminal accusations of paying for favors
- bribe moneyPayment for corrupt cooperation
- bribe takingAccepting illicit payments
- bribery caseTrial involving illegal payments
bribe, bribes, bribed, briber, bribeable, briberies, unbribed, antibribery, anti-bribery