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corrupt
/kəˈɹʌpt/
The word evokes a sense of rot or decay, whether moral, physical, or digital. It describes a transition from a state of purity or integrity to one of dysfunction and filth. In a social or political context, it carries a heavy negative charge, implying a betrayal of trust for personal gain. Unlike "dishonest," which can be a simple lie, "corrupt" suggests a systemic failure where the very structure of an office or person is tainted. When applied to data or language, the feeling shifts from moral failing to technical breakdown. It implies that the original blueprint has been altered by external noise or errors, rendering the result unrecognizable or useless.
💬Conversación Casual
The Q4 spreadsheet just corrupts every time I hit save. I'm losing it.
Just lean into the glitch. We'll pivot to a new version later.
Meanings
Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
"The corrupt official accepted bribes to overlook the building code violations."
Changed from its original state to something worse; decayed or debased.
"The once-pure language had become corrupt over centuries of misuse."
To cause someone to act dishonestly or immoraly.
"He feared that the luxury of the city would corrupt his children."
To change a computer file or data so that it is no longer usable.
"A sudden power outage can corrupt the entire hard drive."
To become altered or damaged, specifically referring to digital data.
"The installation failed because the downloaded setup file had corrupted during transfer."