pervert

verb

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per·vert | \ pər-ˈvərt

perverted; perverting; perverts

Definition of pervert

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right : corrupt

b : to cause to turn aside or away from what is generally done or accepted : misdirect

2a : to divert to a wrong end or purpose : misuse

b : to twist the meaning or sense of : misinterpret

pervert

noun

per·vert | \ ˈpər-ˌvərt

Definition of pervert (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that has been perverted specifically : one given to some form of sexual perversion

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Choose the Right Synonym for pervert

Verb

debase, vitiate, deprave, corrupt, debauch, pervert mean to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character. debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity. commercialism has debased the holiday vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect. a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences. the claim that society is depraved by pornography corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity. the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence. the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal. perverted the original goals of the institute

Examples of pervert in a Sentence

Verb people who pervert their religion to support violence They perverted the truth to help further their careers. movies that pervert the minds of young people by glorifying violence Noun longtime residents warned us not to go near the neighborhood pervert

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Most presidents won't pervert the conduct of their office the way Trump did. — Star Tribune, "Trump abused his power to pardon," 23 Jan. 2021 The Gettysburg gambit is just his latest attempt to appropriate American history and symbology and pervert it to suit his ends. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "If Donald Trump Can’t Make History, He’ll Steal It Instead," 12 Aug. 2020 But then Kaepernick’s message, as messages often do, became perverted into a debate that had nothing to do with his point. — Mike Finger, ExpressNews.com, "Finger: NFL sees the light, and there’s only one side to take," 6 June 2020 McNeil isn’t oblivious to the dark side of lurking, the way certain corners of the internet study discourses to mimic, troll, or pervert them. — Adrian Daub, The New Republic, "The Rise of the Lurker," 13 Apr. 2020 The first protests soon erupted, with many people believing Babis was perverting the legal system to protect himself. — Marc Santora, BostonGlobe.com, "In the largest protests in decades, Czechs demand resignation of prime minister," 23 June 2019 And the celebrity perverts make lame art that’s honestly missable. — Evan Waite, The New Yorker, "My Happy Place," 20 Feb. 2020 The first protests soon erupted, with many people believing Mr. Babis was perverting the legal system to protect himself. — New York Times, "In the Largest Protests in Decades, Czechs Demand Resignation of Prime Minister," 23 June 2019 Hayden-Johnson pleaded guilty in 2009 to child cruelty and perverting the course of justice. — Jeff Truesdell, PEOPLE.com, "Munchausen by Proxy Moms: These Mothers Harmed Their Children to Gain Sympathy for Themselves," 2 Dec. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Faxe the Foreteller centers an amazing scene, in a high hall, surrounded by eight other proleptic figures, two of them being quite insane and one a curious male pervert. — Harold Bloom, The New Yorker, "The Strange Friendships of Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Left Hand of Darkness”," 20 Nov. 2020 The chief barged into the police interrogation room where the man, handcuffed to the floor, called him a pervert. — New York Times, "Scandal Began With Sex Toys. Now Ex-D.A. Is Convicted on Long Island.," 17 Dec. 2019 Joe also totally kills the pervert (Chris D'Elia) who abused Delilah and who came this close to abusing Ellie. — Katherine J Igoe, Marie Claire, "What Happens In 'You' Season 2?," 26 Dec. 2019 Brazil is the virgin that every foreign pervert wants to get their hands on. — Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, "At the U.N., Jair Bolsonaro Presents a Surreal Defense of His Amazon Policies," 25 Sep. 2019 Others were perverts and criminals, their sense of power engorged by their victims’ weakness. — Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, "Les Moonves, Kevin Tsujihara and the Art of Hollywood Self-Sabotage," 23 Aug. 2019 More: Michigan priest: 'I was made to look like a pervert' by the Saginaw diocese. — Andrea Perez Balderrama, Detroit Free Press, "West Michigan priest allegedly held teen against his will, wrapped him in plastic," 22 Aug. 2019 My cousin takes down this pervert down for grabbing her a--. — Kathleen Joyce, Fox News, "Georgia waitress takes down man who appears to grope her, epic video shows," 19 July 2018 Maybe nature is strong enough to withstand its perverts. — William Saletan, WSJ, "‘She Has Her Mother’s Laugh’ Review: Biology’s Strange New World," 28 June 2018

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