corrupt

/kəˈɹʌpt/

//kəˈɹʌpt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"corrupt" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“corrupt” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,669 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,669
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Willing to act dishonestly for personal gain; accepting bribes.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

corrupt vs corrupted
78% similar
corrupt vs correct
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for corrupt
PropertyValue
Headwordcorrupt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kəˈɹʌpt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,669
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “corrupt” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). corrupt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for corrupt is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈɹʌpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,669 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for corrupt, with forms such as "ccorrupt", "corrput", and "corruppt". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "corrupted", "correct", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”). The correct English form is corrupt, spelled C-O-R-R-U-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Willing to act dishonestly for personal gain; accepting bribes.
  2. 2
    In a depraved state; debased; perverted; morally degenerate; weak in morals.
  3. 3
    Abounding in errors; not genuine or correct; in an invalid state.
  4. 4
    In a putrid state; spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound.

Etymology

From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”).

Synonyms

corrupted

This word in other languages

corrupto(Español)corrompu(Français)korrupt(Deutsch)corrupto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccorrupt,corrput,corruppt,corruptt,corrutp,corupt,corurpt,crorupt,ocrrupt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of corrupt - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccorrupt1corrput2corruppt1corruptt1corrutp2corupt1corurpt2crorupt2
Edit distance from "corrupt"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "corrupt"?
"corrupt" is spelled C-O-R-R-U-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈɹʌpt/.
What does "corrupt" mean?
As an adjective, "corrupt" means: Willing to act dishonestly for personal gain; accepting bribes.
What words are commonly confused with "corrupt"?
"corrupt" is commonly confused with "corrupted", "correct". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "corrupt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "corrupt" is /kəˈɹʌpt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "corrupt"?
From Middle English corrupten, derived from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpō (“to destroy, ruin, injure, spoil, corrupt, bribe”), from com- (“together”) + rumpō (“to break in pieces”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “corrupt”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-R-R-U-P-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəˈɹʌpt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “corrupted” - see the side-by-side comparison. corrupt vs corrupted
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list