1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
how can you be so cheerful one day, and so perverse the next?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
social conservatives who believe that Hollywood is a perverse world that exerts an unhealthy influence on the young
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3
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
a fact so self-evident that not even the most perverse of opponents could deny it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
a convicted criminal seemed like a perverse choice for a bank employee
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perverse
If the president had not wasted time floating perverse ideas about real-estate opportunities in Gaza, thousands of Palestinian lives might have been saved, and more of the Israeli hostages would be in the bosom of their families.
—
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 14 Oct. 2025
The militarization of American cities, including Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, has brought home a perverse irony.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
This would eliminate the perverse incentive of the rebate, driving employers and patients to higher-cost care, and could cut the cost of the drug, on average, by 40 percent.
—Bobby Jindal, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The other people Ye tries to big-foot into indulging his perverse Peter Pan complex fare more poorly.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 14 Oct. 2025
The militarization of American cities, including Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, has brought home a perverse irony.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
This would eliminate the perverse incentive of the rebate, driving employers and patients to higher-cost care, and could cut the cost of the drug, on average, by 40 percent.
—Bobby Jindal, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The other people Ye tries to big-foot into indulging his perverse Peter Pan complex fare more poorly.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perverse
Adjective
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Most cases clear up on their own without complications, but parents should contact a doctor if a child cannot keep fluids down, has a high fever lasting more than a few days or seems unusually drowsy or irritable.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
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Also known as irritable hip, the condition is due to inflammation of the hip joint lining.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lester fled, but Beau followed him, demanding the missing finger because without it, his corrupt past could come to light.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
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Congress was moved to act at the urging of the major pro leagues’ commissioners, who testified in 1991 that sports betting undermined the integrity of games and invited corrupt influences.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That individual brilliance which can produce a moment of magic to break open a stubborn defence is harder to come by.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Be sure to pay extra attention to stubborn stains.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This means exposing the shoulders, showing too much leg above the knees, or wearing clothing with crude or inappropriate imagery.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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Section 5 would've set new terms for challenging material that anyone may find inappropriate, and ultimately vest public local officials with the power to issue a final ruling on the dispute.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Behold the golden-orange horizon over Kitt Peak National Observatory, a fiery twilight moment where day bows out and the stars prepare their grand entrance.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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After making the difficult choice to leave Fritz, Nicks recalled the beginnings of her famously fiery romance with Buckingham.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Previous studies relied on a process known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which amplifies small or degraded fragments of DNA, allowing scientists to analyze genetic material even from old or damaged organic matter.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
-
For Capone, this high precedence of pinworm was incredibly surprising, given that the samples were over 1,000 years old and the DNA would have been highly degraded over such a long period of time.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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When asked about his name being mentioned as this season’s coaching carnage continues, Danielson — a native of Southern California and graduate of Azusa Pacific University east of Los Angeles — remained adamant in his commitment to Boise State.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Oct. 2025
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But Díaz-Balart, who sits on the House appropriations committee that helps draft spending bills, insists Republicans won’t cave to demands and is adamant short-term extensions are not the solution.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Including improper cold holding temperatures, food not in good condition for use, and unsafe food storage and labeling practices.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
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Raw eggs in the Magic Chef mini refrigerator were held at improper temperatures.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverse. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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