# bribe

/ˈbɹaɪb/ (US) · /bɹˈaɪb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bribe
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. illegal payment

noun · CEFR B2

money or a gift given to someone to make them do something dishonest or illegal.

For teachers: a sum of money or other inducement offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence their behaviour or decisions.

- The official was arrested for accepting a bribe from the construction company.
- The investigation revealed that the contractor had offered a substantial bribe to the planning committee in exchange for expedited approval of the project.

Usage: Commonly used with the verbs 'offer', 'give', 'take', or 'accept'.

### 2. to give an illegal payment

verb · CEFR B2

to give someone money or a gift so they will do what you want, even if it is wrong.

For teachers: to persuade someone to act in one's favour, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement.

- They tried to bribe the guard to let them into the building after hours.
- The corporation was accused of attempting to bribe foreign officials to secure lucrative mining contracts in the region.

Usage: This is a transitive verb that takes the person being influenced as the direct object.

### 3. to persuade with a small reward

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

to offer someone a small treat or reward to make them do something they do not want to do.

For teachers: to use a minor incentive to persuade someone—often a child—to perform a task or behave in a certain way.

- I had to bribe my son with an ice cream to get him to finish his homework.
- The parents joked that they had to bribe their toddler with extra screen time just to get through the long flight without a tantrum.

Teaching tip: While the primary sense is serious and legal, this informal use is very common in family or social contexts to describe harmless persuasion.

## Examples

- The official accepted a bribe to ignore the fine.
- The contractor offered a bribe to speed up the building permit process.
- The investigation revealed that the contract was awarded not on merit, but because the director had accepted a substantial bribe from the bidding company.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.