Synonyms of deprave

deprave

verb

di-ˈprāv 

as in to corrupt

to lower in character, dignity, or quality

the belief that pornography depraves society as a whole

Synonyms & Similar Words

• corrupt
• degrade
• weaken
• debauch
• pervert
• subvert
• humiliate
• poison
• deteriorate
• debase
• destroy
• dilute
• demean
• ruin
• abase
• vitiate
• prostitute
• bastardize
• damage
• pollute
• lessen
• demoralize
• disgrace
• profane
• mar
• dirty
• cheapen
• contaminate
• taint
• warp
• canker
• impair
• hurt
• humble
• harm
• shame
• defile
• spoil
• thin
• wreck
• water down
• dishonor
• befoul
• tarnish
• stain
• flaw
• deface
• begrime
• descend
• depreciate
• take down
• downgrade
• blemish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elevate
• uplift
• improve
• exalt
• better
• ennoble
• honor
• enhance
• enrich
• amend
• perfect
• ameliorate
• restore
• dignify
• purify
• clean
• cleanse
• refine
• clarify
• respect
• meliorate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deprave different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deprave are corrupt, debase, debauch, pervert, and vitiate. While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences.

the claim that society is depraved by pornography

Where would corrupt be a reasonable alternative to deprave?

The meanings of corrupt and deprave largely overlap; however, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity.

the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

When can debase be used instead of deprave?

While the synonyms debase and deprave are close in meaning, debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity.

commercialism has debased the holiday

In what contexts can debauch take the place of deprave?

Although the words debauch and deprave have much in common, debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence.

the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

When might pervert be a better fit than deprave?

In some situations, the words pervert and deprave are roughly equivalent. However, pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal.

perverted the original goals of the institute

When is vitiate a more appropriate choice than deprave?

While in some cases nearly identical to deprave, vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect.

a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deprave

Online court records show he is charged with first-degree murder dangerous depraved without premeditation. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026

Murdering a teenaged iconic athlete shows how deeply depraved the Iranian leadership is. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026

Trump's No Kings video was truly depraved. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025

DiCaprio has played disturbed and depraved individuals in Scorsese’s films before, but Killers of the Flower Moon is something different. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025

This is especially true when the news operation is clearly on the side of righteousness against a policy as depraved this. — David Zurawik, baltimoresun.com, 15 June 2018

McDonagh complicates Mildred's story by showing how the lust for justice can grow depraved the longer it is denied — a favorite subject of dramatists going back to Aeschylus. — Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 1 Mar. 2018