venal

[ veen-l ]

adjective

1. willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary:

   a venal judge.

   Synonyms: bribable, corruptible

   Antonyms: incorruptible

2. able to be purchased, as by a bribe:

   venal acquittals.

3. associated with or characterized by bribery:

   a venal administration; venal agreements.

venal

/ viːˈnælɪtɪ; ˈviːnəl /

adjective

1. easily bribed or corrupted; mercenary

   a venal magistrate

2. characterized by corruption

   a venal civilization

3. open to purchase, esp by bribery

   a venal contract

Derived Forms

• venality, noun
• ˈvenally, adverb

Other Words From

• venal·ly adverb
• non·venal adjective
• non·venal·ly adverb
• un·venal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of venal¹

1645–55; < Latin vēnālis, equivalent to vēn ( um ) (accusative) for sale ( vend ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of venal¹

C17: from Latin vēnālis, from vēnum sale

Synonym Study

See corrupt.

Example Sentences

But this wild and terrible tale of crime and power, pitting devastated Jewish parents against the venal might of unyielding papal law, is entirely its own emotional minefield.

From Los Angeles Times

It is clear Congress will need to step in now to reign in your venal rogues since you apparently will not.

From Salon

We are everything everyone says we are – venal, shallow, incredibly ignorant, self-effacing, smug, arrogant and often wrong.

From Salon

The only religion he's ever known has been Norman Vincent Peale's Prosperity Gospel, which is itself a venal, disgusting twisting cooked up to serve the wealthy and punish the poor.

From Salon

Santos incarnates its venal and ridiculous side, the part rooted in reality TV and get-rich-quick schemes.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• amoral
• corrupt
• crooked
• dishonest
• immoral
• unethical
• unscrupulous