graft

Examples

• All

• Official corruption also resulted as opportunities to manipulate emergent markets gave officials irresistible occasions for graft and kickbacks.

  Academic text (1990)

• There's a grand jury investigation of graft and payoffs, remember?

  The Narrow Margin (1952)

• There was a Congress and a president who came to power through graft and fraud.

  Fiction book (2000)

• Fiscal conservatives are obviously happy about all the graft being exposed in U.S. foreign aid.

  Blog text (26)

• In reality, the reason for the brief suspension of European charity had been their frustration with graft.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Henry showed little inclination or aptitude for either the hard graft of government or military command.

  Academic text (2011)

• Obama has pressed Karzai to stamp out graft to little avail.

  Academic text (2012)

• It just shocked me how much graft and corruption is going on in all of these multibillion dollar pensions.

• The wider the scope of state control over economic life, the greater the possibility of graft by abusive and predatory elites.

  Academic text (2008)

• Many citizens protested against graft in local politics, demanding transparency and accountability from elected officials.

Synonyms

C

corruption

vsgraft

355 4.8

Dishonest or illegal actions by people in power, like taking bribes

is more specific about using inducements and illegal methods to gain advantage

C

collusion

vsgraft

205 8.4

Secret deal by people or companies to cheat others

focuses on one party using dishonest or illegal methods to gain advantage

B

bribery

vsgraft

74 4.2

Giving money or gifts to persuade someone to do dishonest things

is broader, covering many illegal methods to gain advantage beyond offering inducements

G

grift

vsgraft

• Slang

7 9.3

A dishonest plan to get money by cheating people

applies to obtaining advantage through official or business corruption rather than petty scams

V

venality

vsgraft

• Formal

3 9.9

To accept bribes and use power for personal gain

describes the active use of illegal methods to obtain advantage rather than mere readiness

C

crooked dealing

vsgraft

1 6.3

Dishonest behavior in business or money matters

emphasises using illegal methods, often inducements, to gain a specific advantage

C

corruptness

vsgraft

1 6.2

A habit of being dishonest and breaking rules to get money or power

describes specific illegal acts used to obtain advantage rather than the general trait

J

jobbery

vsgraft

• Archaic

9.9

Using a public office to get personal money or benefits

is used more broadly across politics and business rather than only official posts

C

commercial bribery

vsgraft

• Specialized

7.4

Giving money or gifts to a business employee so they choose you for a contract

is broader, applying to politics and business and to other illegal advantage methods

S

siphonage

vsgraft

9.9

Illegally moving money or goods to use for yourself

involves gaining advantage through bribery or other corrupt acts rather than simple theft

C

crookery

vsgraft

9.5

Actions that cheat people to get their money

is narrower, focusing on gaining advantage in business or politics rather than general crime

Antonyms

I

integrity

447 4.3

Being honest and doing what is right

H

honesty

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

Compounds

S

skin graft

• Specialized

7 3.5

A piece of healthy skin taken from one body part and placed on damaged skin to help it heal

C

coronary artery bypass graft

• Specialized

1 4.6

A surgery that uses a healthy blood vessel to go around a blocked heart artery and restore blood flow

C

corneal graft

• Specialized

5.8

An operation that replaces a damaged clear layer at the front of the eye with healthy donor tissue

How Corrupt

corruption

355 4.8

graft

14 8.2

kickback

38 8.3

bribe

137 3.6

Surface Forms

Etymology