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Definitions

on the take

ADJECTIVE
corrupt
Synonyms
STRONGEST
crooked fraudulent nefarious rotten shady unethical unscrupulous untrustworthy venal
STRONG
base bent debauched exploiting fixed foul open padded profiteering reprobate suborned tainted
WEAK
bribable double-dealing extortionate faithless fast and loose gone to the dogs inconstant iniquitous knavish mercenary perfidious praetorian racket up snide treacherous two-faced underhanded unfaithful unprincipled wide open
Antonyms
STRONGEST
ethical good honest honorable moral respectable trustworthy
STRONG
clean pure
WEAK
decent helpful high kind noble principled purified sound truthful uncorrupt upright wholesome
ADJECTIVE
dissolute
Synonyms
WEAK
abandoned corrupt debauched degenerate depraved dissipated evil fast fast and loose gone bad high living in the fast lane intemperate lascivious lax lecherous lewd libertine licentious light loose night owl nighthawk open player profligate raffish rakish reprobate slack swift sybaritic unconstrained unprincipled unrestrained vicious wanton wayward wicked wild
Antonyms
WEAK
chaste good moral pure resolute respectful virtuous
ADJECTIVE
venal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
amoral corrupt crooked dishonest immoral unethical unscrupulous
WEAK
bent buyable conscienceless double-dealing mercenary padded purchasable unprincipled unprofessional
Antonyms
STRONGEST
ethical good honest moral noble principled pure right scrupulous trustworthy truthful uncorrupt upright
NOUN
corruption
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bribery crime exploitation extortion fraud graft malfeasance nepotism
STRONG
crookedness demoralization jobbery misrepresentation payoff payola racket shadiness shuffle skimming squeeze unscrupulousness venality
WEAK
breach of trust bribing fiddling fraudulency profiteering shady deal
Antonyms
WEAK
cleanliness cleanness decency goodness honesty honor kindness pureness purification purity sterility truthfulness wholesomeness
NOUN
villainousness
Synonyms
STRONG
bestiality bribery crime crookedness demoralization depravity exploitation extortion fraud graft immorality jobbery malfeasance misrepresentation nepotism payoff payola perversion racket shadiness shuffle skimming squeeze turpitude unscrupulousness venality vice villainy wickedness
WEAK
breach of trust bribing fiddling flagitiousness fraudulency profiteering shady deal
Antonyms
STRONG
justice virtue

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Former Peruvian presidents Alejandro Toledo and Ollanta Humala are serving lengthy sentences in their country after being convicted of being on the take from Odebrecht.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Drawn to the platter of homemade cookies, I was shy on the take once I knew they were lemon, scared of the sharp sourness that might be lurking within.

From Salon • Nov. 12, 2022

In December, six tribal leaders petitioned the federal Commerce Department to impose a rule for zero Chinook bycatch and a hard cap on the take of chum.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2022

And then there were the hours of testimony about how much public officials in Mexico were on the take, not to mention the complications of clawing back assets in another country.

From Washington Times • Feb. 14, 2019

Everyone’s on the take, one way or another.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.