Definitions

venal

[veen-l] / ˈvin l /

ADJECTIVE

bribable, corruptible

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amoral corrupt crooked dishonest immoral unethical unscrupulous

WEAK

bent buyable conscienceless double-dealing mercenary on the take padded purchasable unprincipled unprofessional

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ethical good honest moral noble principled pure right scrupulous trustworthy truthful uncorrupt upright

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.

Vulgar, venal creatures like him are not capable of creating anything of beauty or artistic value; they can only destroy.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

Network, from 1976, cast him as a venal television producer.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

But that, of course, is the slippery pleasure of “Relay,” which pits individuals against venal institutional might.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2025

He is venal and cruel, and a convicted felon.

From Slate • Nov. 5, 2024

Nor did the venal mayor of Fairfax—an ally of Hale’s who also served as a guardian.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Vocabulary lists containing venal

30 GRE Words Beginning with "T" "U" "V" and "W"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

100 SAT Words Beginning with "V"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Commonly Confused Words, List 4

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!