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
Pig-butchering scams are almost without exception run by triad gangs who set up on China’s periphery, where the transnational nature of the crime, fuzzy jurisdiction and venal local authorities make cases difficult to prosecute.
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TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
The risk of instability and military takeover extends beyond the Sahel to other African countries where the West has tolerated venal and autocratic rule.
—Joseph Sany, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024
But Safdie eschews the sleazy reality TV producer stereotype, creating a man who is both pitiful and venal.
—EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023
And who can blame him, given the appalling backstory of the Atherton-Yoo family, compared with the merely venal sins of Scorsese’s fraudster?
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for venal 
TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
The risk of instability and military takeover extends beyond the Sahel to other African countries where the West has tolerated venal and autocratic rule.
—Joseph Sany, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024
But Safdie eschews the sleazy reality TV producer stereotype, creating a man who is both pitiful and venal.
—EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023
And who can blame him, given the appalling backstory of the Atherton-Yoo family, compared with the merely venal sins of Scorsese’s fraudster?
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for venal
Thesaurus Entries Near venal
Cite this Entry
“Venal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/venal. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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