depravity

noun

di-ˈpra-və-tē How to pronounce depravity (audio)
Definition of depravitynext
1
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior regards the widespread acceptance of gambling as another sign of the depravity of today's society

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2
as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society a section of the city long known as den of depravity

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3
as in badness
the state or quality of being utterly evil the depravity of the demons and devils in many tales of horror

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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 depravity Raves for Montana Levi Blanco’s lush costumes in the courtly, Elizabethan style could be overheard around the table, and rightfully so; their opulence and sick glamour struck the perfect note for the depravity of the piece’s villainous couple. — Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2026 In fact, Israel built its future wagering that the Palestinians violently displaced and expelled in the Nakba would eventually move on, assimilate, forget the depravity that ripped them from their land. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Every other entry either dwells in its characters’ filth throughout or reveals a new level of depravity as the climactic joke. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026 Major League Eating organizes the event, and its International Federation of Competitive Eating is the governing body that oversees such depravity. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for depravity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depravity
  1. degradation
  2. corruption
  3. badness
  4. sin
  5. sinfulness
  6. evil
  7. atrocity
  8. immorality
Noun
  • In the small-cap space, Piper Sandler's Tenthoff likes Monte Rosa Therapeutics, a pioneer in protein degradation that selectively destroys disease-causing proteins.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The degradation of Starshield is estimated to have cost Ukraine tens of millions of dollars in losses, according to an analysis by Dimko Zhluktenko, a drone pilot and analyst in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of degradation
Noun
  • Room for Disagreement Kenyan critics of the AFCON infrastructure developments have argued that the projects have been an avenue for corruption and risk escalating Kenya’s $98 billion debt burden.
    — Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The students also demanded changes in the judiciary and urgent investigations in top-level corruption cases that might have been sidelined due to political pressure under Vucic.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of corruption
Noun
  • But, as part of a meticulous reconstruction of a type of eatery known for mediocre food, does its badness actually count as a mark of success?
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Leaping around in time, Gilroy draws us into Alex’s world with an effervescent wink at the badness of his behavior.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of badness
Noun
  • Confession is looked at as some kind of sin and it’s associated with shame.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Lamb, who was once floated for the service’s top job, treats his current position as a kind of penance for past sins, both for himself and for his underlings.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • But soon after, in Genesis 18, God tells Abraham of plans to investigate reports of sinfulness in Sodom and Gomorrah.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
    — Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of sinfulness
Noun
  • Because God is omnipotent, evil, the opposite of God, is unreal, a mistaken sense of reality.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Witty, bitter, flamboyant, and emotionally grounded, the dialogue swings, delightfully, between intimate exchanges and grandiloquent soliloquies, capturing the vulnerability of idealists in the face of evil.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of evil
Noun
  • Six of its journalists were killed, including Anna Politkovskaya, who reported on atrocities during the second Chechen War at the start of Putin’s first term as Russian president.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Both as heir apparent and now as king, Charles has spoken about the atrocity of slavery during visits to Ghana, Barbados, Rwanda and Bermuda.
    — Brooke N. Newman, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of atrocity
Noun
  • Since the middle of the twentieth century, societies around the globe have undergone a collective revolution in standards and attitudes towards obscenity and immorality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Independents said the worst thing about Republicans was their loyalty to Trump (10%), perceptions of corruption and self-enrichment (8%), dishonesty, hypocrisy or immorality (7%), a lack of concern for ordinary people or cruelty (6%), and ineffective and weak or unqualified leadership (5%).
    — Emily Guskin, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Definition of immorality

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depraving
depravity
deprecate
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Cite this Entry

“Depravity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depravity. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on depravity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about depravity

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