What does bribed mean?
'Bribed' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'bribe', meaning to have dishonestly persuaded someone — typically a person in a position of authority, such as an official, judge, or referee — to act in one's favour by offering money, gifts, or other inducements. The word carries an unmistakably negative connotation: it implies corruption, a betrayal of duty, and often outright illegality. It appears constantly in reporting on political scandal, corporate misconduct, and organised crime, as in 'the inspector was bribed to ignore the safety violations'. Yet it can also be used playfully in informal contexts, as when parents admit they 'bribed' their children with dessert to finish their homework — a humorous use that relies on the word's serious overtones for comic effect. Common patterns include 'bribed officials', 'bribed his way into', and 'accused of being bribed'. Derived forms include the noun 'bribery', which names the practice itself, and 'briber', the person who offers the inducement. Understanding 'bribed' is essential for following news and legal language, since corruption scandals across the world are so often described with this single, loaded word.
verb (past tense and past participle)Past tense and past participle of 'bribe': to dishonestly persuade someone, especially an official or person in authority, to act in one's favour by offering money or a gift.
- To have dishonestly persuaded a person in authority to act in one's favour by offering money or gifts.
"The customs officer was bribed into waving the shipment through without inspection."
"The referee was later found to have been bribed before the championship match."
"She bribed her younger brother with sweets to keep quiet about the broken vase."
The word 'bribe' began life as scraps of bread handed to beggars in medieval France — before it became one of history's oldest forms of corruption.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bribed
The word traces back through Middle English to Old French 'briber', meaning to beg, and the noun 'bribe', originally a piece of bread given to beggars. Over time the sense shifted from charitable alms-giving to illicit payment, arriving in English by the 16th century with its modern corrupting connotation. Related modern derivatives include 'bribery' and 'briber'.
Related word forms
How bribed is actually used
'Bribed' is standard in both formal journalism and everyday speech. It carries a strongly negative connotation, implying corruption or illegality; lighter, informal contexts (e.g. 'bribed the kids with ice cream') are usually understood humorously rather than literally criminal.
Easily confused with bribed
'Bribe' is the base verb or the noun meaning the payment itself, while 'bribed' is specifically its past tense or past participle describing someone who has already received or given such a payment.