unethical or illegal behaviour especially by people in official positions
example
It was argued that the president was formerly arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
synonyms
dishonestymisconductwrongdoing
word origin — Middle English: via Old French from Latin corruptio(n-), from corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’ (see corrupt)
corruption, disgrace, bankrupt, fraud, accountability: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from Upper-Intermediate set 13. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
corruption · noun/kəˈrəpʃən/
unethical or illegal behaviour especially by people in official positions
It was argued that the president was formerly arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Synonyms: dishonesty, misconduct, wrongdoing
Origin: Middle English: via Old French from Latin corruptio(n-), from corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’ (see corrupt)
disgrace · noun/dɪsˈɡreɪs/
a loss of others' respect as a result of doing something bad
The leader's indifference to the suffering population was a complete disgrace to humanity.
Origin: mid 16th century (as a verb): via French from Italian disgrazia (noun), disgraziare (verb), from dis- (expressing reversal) + Latin gratia ‘grace’
bankrupt · adjective/ˈbæŋkrəpt/
having no money to pay debts
The country's second-largest airline was declared bankrupt yesterday, nearly two years after a tragic crash in the Indian Ocean.
Synonyms: penniless, broke, insolvent
Origin: mid 16th century: from Italian banca rotta ‘broken bench’, from banca (see bank) and rompere ‘to break’. The change in the ending was due to association with Latin rupt- ‘broken’
fraud · noun/frɔd/
a person who deceives others for personal gain
After searching for his profile online and discovering he was a fraud, they handed him over to the police.
Synonyms: conman, pretender, charlatan, impostor
Origin: Middle English: from Old French fraude, from Latin fraus, fraud- ‘deceit, injury’
accountability · noun/əˌkaʊn(t)əˈbɪlədi/
the condition of being responsible for your actions
The manager took accountability for the project's delay, accepting responsibility for the team's oversight.