as in corruptible
open to improper influence and especially bribery
that judge is known for being venal and easily bought
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Recent Examples of venal
They are easily shot down by venal lobbyists, conformist consultants, cynical national diplomats, and, in a deliciously Machiavellian scene, a suave official sitting atop the European Commission.
—
Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
They have also been undermined by myopic or venal leaders who have no interest in long-term global issues and refuse to take the problem seriously.
—William Nordhaus, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2020
But the military mostly exists on paper: There’s barely a chain of command and officers are notoriously venal.
—Emmet Livingstone, The Dial, 20 Mar. 2025
That entire ecosystem comes after and targets you in the most venal way.
—Milton Guevara, NPR, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for venal
Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
They have also been undermined by myopic or venal leaders who have no interest in long-term global issues and refuse to take the problem seriously.
—William Nordhaus, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2020
But the military mostly exists on paper: There’s barely a chain of command and officers are notoriously venal.
—Emmet Livingstone, The Dial, 20 Mar. 2025
That entire ecosystem comes after and targets you in the most venal way.
—Milton Guevara, NPR, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for venal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for venal
corrupt
Adjective
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And then reality crashes down around them in a series of scenes that expose the cruel hypocrisy of Iran’s corrupt system (which purports to uphold morality, but allows men in positions of authority to indulge themselves in egregious ways).—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
11 July 2025
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Rachel and Ray need to go on the run after Ray’s investigation into a corrupt pharmaceutical executive puts their live in peril.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Venal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/venal. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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