depravity

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noun de·prav·i·ty \ di-ˈpra-və-tē also -ˈprā- \

Definition of depravity

plural depravities

1 :a corrupt act or practice

the depravities of war

2 :the quality or state of being corrupt, evil, or perverted :the quality or state of being depraved

He is awed by its fabulous wealth but deeply troubled by what he sees as its moral depravity …
—Nicholas D. Kristof

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Examples of depravity in a Sentence

He was sinking into a life of utter depravity.
People were shocked by the depravity of her actions.

Recent Examples of depravity from the Web

The usual depravity that mankind exhibits, and always has.

— jay nordlinger, National Review, "A Brave Lady’s Fight Against ISIS," 17 July 2017
The New York Times Magazine this week offers a truly depressing tale of depravity in Trained to Kill: How Four Boy Soldiers Survived Boko Haram, the result of increasing ingenuity in covering news overseas.

— The Hive, "The Shocking Story of Boko Haram’s Forgotten Victims," 23 June 2017
This rationale, of course, would justify interviewing anybody with a large audience, no matter his moral depravity.

— The Hive, "Was Megyn Kelly Wrong to Interview Alex Jones?," 14 June 2017
Nor are any of this play’s inhabitants smart enough to conceal their depravity, or to perceive the moral emptiness of their existences.

— ben brantley, New York Times, "Review: In ‘The Government Inspector,’ Dumb and Dumber, Deliciously," 1 June 2017
The noose has long represented a deplorable act of cowardice and depravity – a symbol of extreme violence for African-Americans.

— the washington post, The Mercury News, "Noose found at exhibit in National Museum of African American History," 1 June 2017
Museum founding Director Lonnie Bunch III says in an email that the noose represents an act of cowardice and depravity.

— the associated press, The Seattle Times, "Noose found inside Smithsonian’s African-American museum," 31 May 2017
In a statement released via the museum’s official Twitter account, founding Director Lonnie Bunch wrote: The noose has long represented a deplorable act of cowardice and depravity—a symbol of extreme violence for African Americans.

— monique judge, The Root, "Noose Found Hanging at National Museum of African American History and Culture," 31 May 2017
The noose has long represented a deplorable act of cowardice and depravity — a symbol of extreme violence for African Americans.

— clarence williams, Washington Post, "Noose found at exhibit in African American Smithsonian museum," 31 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'depravity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of depravity

see deprave

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First Known Use: 1641

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depravity Synonyms

Synonyms

abjection, corruptness, debasement, debauchery, decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degenerateness, degeneration, degradation, demoralization, corruption, dissipatedness, dissipation, dissoluteness, libertinage, libertinism, perversion, pervertedness, rakishness, turpitude

Antonyms

morality, virtue

Related Words

evil, immorality, sinfulness, villainy, wickedness; filth, gangrene, rot, squalor

Near Antonyms

goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue

DEPRAVITY Defined for English Language Learners

depravity

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noun

Definition of depravity for English Language Learners

: a very evil quality or way of behaving
: an evil or immoral act

Law Dictionary

depravity

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noun de·prav·i·ty \ di-ˈpra-və-tē \

legal Definition of depravity

plural depravities

1 :the quality or state of being depraved

2 :a corrupt act or practice

Learn More about depravity

See words that rhyme with depravity Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for depravity Spanish Central: Translation of depravity Nglish: Translation of depravity for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of depravity for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about depravity

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DEPRAVITY Defined for English Language Learners

depravity

Definition of depravity for English Language Learners

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depravity

legal Definition of depravity

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