pervert

verb per·vert \ pər-ˈvərt \

Updated on: 20 May 2018

Definition of pervert

transitive verb

1 a : 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

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

b : to twist the meaning or sense of : misinterpret

—

perverter

noun

See pervert defined for English-language learners

See pervert defined for kids

Examples of pervert in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of pervert from the Web

The ruling party used all manner of dirty tricks to pervert the vote, but still lost.

— The Economist, "Politics this week," 10 May 2018
Williams said he's heard outrage from across the city, including from people who supported the power plant, about efforts to pervert the public process.

— kevin litten, NOLA.com, "Entergy confirms actors were paid to support New Orleans power plant, says it was unaware," 10 May 2018
But perverting the rules of the game, well, if such a rule change made its way to the major-league level… that’d rate as a big one.

— si.com staff, SI.com, "Nine Innings: Finding the Yankees' Evil, Evaluating Ohtani's Woeful Spring and Ranking MLB Food Fest's Best Offerings," 25 Mar. 2018
Gray, of Sheffield, South Yorks., was charged with driving while disqualified, dangerous driving and committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice.

— Fox News, "Renegade driver lost police during chase, but got caught when he called to report his car was stolen," 16 Apr. 2018
While interviewing, King heard the tale of another horrific story of justice perverted, and he was hooked.

— lauren ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Pulitzer-winning author Gilbert King releasing second book detailing injustice in Lake County," 14 Apr. 2018
The tools of forensic analysis can easily be perverted.

— michael kimmelman, New York Times, "Forensics Helps Widen Architecture’s Mission," 6 Apr. 2018
Whatever the Russia investigation finds, and whatever Trump does to quash it, or protect himself and his family, or pervert the FBI to rough up his political opponents, the dynamic that has protected him will remain in place.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "What Happens to Trump If He Fires Robert Mueller?," 26 Jan. 2018
But watching this man handle something that so resembled a child’s toy felt obscene, perverted.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "Use and Abuse," 19 Mar. 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.

Origin and Etymology of pervert

Middle English, from Anglo-French purvertir, pervertir, from Latin pervertere to overturn, corrupt, pervert, from per- thoroughly + vertere to turn — more at per-, worth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

pervert Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of pervert

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

pervert

noun per·vert \ ˈpər-ˌvərt \

Definition of pervert

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

See pervert defined for English-language learners

Examples of pervert in a Sentence

longtime residents warned us not to go near the neighborhood pervert

Recent Examples of pervert from the Web

One need only practice pelvic tilts and butt lifts in front of a full-length mirror to see that, at the very least, people would give you strange looks and, at the most extreme, someone might dial 911 to report a pervert.

— marcy meffert, San Antonio Express-News, "The waiting is the hardest part," 11 May 2018
Once shunned as a pervert, Muruganantham is now celebrated as a visionary.

— casey quackenbush, Time, "New Bollywood Movie Pad Man Is Breaking Taboos Surrounding Menstruation," 7 Feb. 2018
So, rest assured, readers, writers and perverts of all stripes.

— anna pulley, RedEye Chicago, "Ask Anna: I want to share revenge porn to get back at a boy," 15 Aug. 2017
Tseng’s resolute, playful stare at people who no doubt believed him to be a pervert and a foreign interloper is a testament to the artist’s courage.

— New York Times, "The Artists Who Brought Asian-Americans Into the Annals of Contemporary Art," 12 Apr. 2018
Some have found the perfect villain in the office pervert.

— ellen gamerman, WSJ, "Will Office Affairs Ever Be the Same? Not in Romance Novels," 18 Mar. 2018
Richard Painter has spent much of the past 13 months calling Donald Trump a treasonous, racist pervert on cable news and Twitter.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Richard Painter Mulls Trying to Throw Senate Race to Pro-Trump Republican," 7 Mar. 2018
All of a sudden women recoiled, the ethos tilted, and now the tumbrel is moving briskly through Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Capitol Hill, and beyond, carrying lechers, perverts, and boors into job-threatening disgrace.

— alessandra stanley, Town & Country, "Could 2018 Be the Year of the Gentleman?," 3 Jan. 2018
This nighttime connection leads to a predictable crisis, with Whitman ashamed for having crossed a boundary and the defensive Wormley denouncing Whitman as a pervert.

— anthony tommasini, New York Times, "Review: The Opera ‘Crossing’ Shows Why Whitman Matters Today," 4 Oct. 2017

First Known Use of pervert

1501

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

pervert Synonyms

Synonyms

backslider, debauchee, debaucher, decadent, degenerate, deviate, libertine, profligate, rake;

Near Antonyms

saint;

blackguard, cad, heel, knave, miscreant, rascal, reprobate, rogue, scoundrel, villain;

lecher, playboy, playgirl, satyr;

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

PERVERT Defined for English Language Learners

pervert

verb

Definition of pervert for English Language Learners

: to change (something good) so that it is no longer what it was or should be
: to cause (a person or a person's mind) to become immoral or not normal

pervert

noun

Definition of pervert for English Language Learners

: a person whose sexual behavior is considered not normal or acceptable

Medical Dictionary

pervert

transitive verb per·vert \ pər-ˈvərt \

medical Definition of pervert

: to cause to engage in perversion or to become perverted

pervert

noun per·vert \ ˈpər-ˌvərt \

medical Definition of pervert

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

Learn More about pervert

See words that rhyme with pervert Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pervert Spanish Central: Translation of pervert Nglish: Translation of pervert for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pervert for Arabic speakers

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pervert

Definition of pervert

perverter

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Origin and Etymology of pervert

pervert Synonyms

Synonyms

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Related Words

Synonym Discussion of pervert

pervert

Definition of pervert

Examples of pervert in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pervert from the Web

First Known Use of pervert

pervert Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Psychology Terms

Phrases Related to PERVERT

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PERVERT Defined for English Language Learners

pervert

Definition of pervert for English Language Learners

pervert

Definition of pervert for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

pervert

medical Definition of pervert

pervert

medical Definition of pervert

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