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Definition of venal

venal

/ˈviː.nəl/
ve · nal
Adverb:venally
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venal Lexical Profile

venal Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; corrupt and willing to sacrifice principles for financial gain.

Example

"The investigation exposed a network of venal officials who routinely accepted bribes to overlook safety violations."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for venal
Antonyms
View all antonyms for venal

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'venal' (susceptible to bribery and corruption, from Latin 'venum' meaning 'for sale') with 'venial' (easily pardonable or minor, as in a venial sin, from Latin 'venia' meaning 'forgiveness').

• Rhymes for venal

• Nearby Words

velvetfish
velvetlike
velvety
venal
vend
vendace
vendetta

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Latin 'venalis' (for sale, purchasable), derived from 'venum' (that which is for sale).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Venal. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/venal
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