as in to corrupt
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
the belief that pornography depraves society as a whole
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deprave
The company goes on to say the infringing product depraves Levi’s its rights to use and control its trademark and maintain its reputation with consumers, licensees and collaborators and allows others to believe the distinctive features of the Tab trademark may be misappropriated for their use.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Jan. 2025
They are depraved on account of being deprived.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 14 Dec. 2024
The company goes on to say the infringing product depraves Levi’s its rights to use and control its trademark and maintain its reputation with consumers, licensees and collaborators and allows others to believe the distinctive features of the Tab trademark may be misappropriated for their use.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Jan. 2025
All writings, unpalatable for one section of the society, cannot be labeled as obscene, vulgar, depraving, prurient and immoral. . . .
—Amitava Kumar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2019
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
This series follows the trails of their obsession, and takes a deep dive into the killers’ depraved psyches to reveal their darkest secrets as investigators close in to end the killer’s reign of terror.
—Michael O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 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
As depraved a forum as Twitter can be at times, one of its redeeming characteristics is its users' penchant for outing liars in real time.
—Matthew Martinez, star-telegram, 18 Feb. 2018
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Jan. 2025
They are depraved on account of being deprived.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 14 Dec. 2024
The company goes on to say the infringing product depraves Levi’s its rights to use and control its trademark and maintain its reputation with consumers, licensees and collaborators and allows others to believe the distinctive features of the Tab trademark may be misappropriated for their use.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Jan. 2025
All writings, unpalatable for one section of the society, cannot be labeled as obscene, vulgar, depraving, prurient and immoral. . . .
—Amitava Kumar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2019
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
This series follows the trails of their obsession, and takes a deep dive into the killers’ depraved psyches to reveal their darkest secrets as investigators close in to end the killer’s reign of terror.
—Michael O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 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
As depraved a forum as Twitter can be at times, one of its redeeming characteristics is its users' penchant for outing liars in real time.
—Matthew Martinez, star-telegram, 18 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deprave
Verb
-
The appointments are likely to increase concern that federal vaccine recommendations will be corrupted and lead to Americans losing access to lifesaving vaccines.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2025
-
Rogen lands a few funny lines, but the jokes mostly serve to distract from the point of the story: that freedom is ephemeral and easily corrupted, while humans are inherently piggish (as opposed to the other way around), seizing the first opportunity to take more than their share.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
Use of this material has been proposed in the past, but has been hampered by the fact that making CNTs involves metals, and the residue left behind ends up degrading electrical performance.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
Briefly, however, while advocates say that isolating water conveyance from the Delta would improve habitat for fish and other wildlife, opponents contend that less water flowing through the estuary would further degrade its water quality.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Since then, a series of shifts has reshaped the Middle East and weakened Iran and its proxies, the war in Gaza, Israel's decimation of the leadership of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the collapse of the Syrian regime, and now Israel's surprise attack.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
15 June 2025
-
Should the economy unexpectedly weaken, larger and sooner cuts are possible.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
The atmosphere, at once debauched and sombre, felt like a wake, one attendee said.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
-
But as commercialization took hold, the event metastasized into a pit of hard drugs, drunkenness, and debauch a world apart from its bohemian origins.—
Charlie Campbell,
TIME,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In his eyes, a Jew who fails to share that outlook becomes the monster of traditional antisemitic lore: something perverted from its essential nature.—
Robert Helfand,
Hartford Courant,
21 May 2025
-
The rule of law has been invoked and perverted in a concerted effort to undermine it.—
Mark A. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Verb
-
Emotionally charged, visceral and immersive, the new sequel 28 Years Later subverts expectations in many ways, not least by making a 12-year-old boy — Spike, played with a poignant balance of vulnerability and resilience by terrific newcomer Alfie Williams — the indisputable protagonist.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
-
And yet, writer/director Celine Song subverts it all — and that’s the point.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
Ukrainians said they were subjected to beatings, electric shocks and dog attacks by Russian authorities, not only to extract information but to intimidate and humiliate them.—
Richard Engel,
NBC news,
11 June 2025
-
Musk, who also owns SpaceX, had backed Isaacman, and felt betrayed and humiliated when Trump changed his mind, according to the report.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Still, no amount of artistic success could heal the rift that had poisoned the group.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
21 June 2025
-
In some cities, stray dogs are poisoned with strychnine, a pesticide banned in many countries for causing inhumane suffering.—
Lisa Klaassen,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deprave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deprave. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share