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

He is venal and cruel, and a convicted felon.

From Slate

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

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

From Salon

For one thing, Trump is so venal and unfit for office that the only way to make him look good by comparison has been to indulge in a series of increasingly outlandish and indefensible theories about the left—theories that many of Fox’s more journalistically minded personalities were occasionally unwilling to endorse.

From Slate

Related Words

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