1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
how can you be so cheerful one day, and so perverse the next?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 tone—of pain, of surprise, of a stubborn refusal to be reduced or diminished—is everywhere in it.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
-
If the stain is stubborn, add a few drops of dish soap to the water and vinegar mixture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 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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Search for answers continues following UPS plane crash As the community in Louisville, Kentucky, mourns those killed in a fiery United Parcel Service cargo plane crash, authorities warned that answers for family members may still be a way off.—
Jane Onyanga-Omara,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it, confronting family, identity, and a relationship that becomes life-or-death.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Restoring degraded land offers similar payoffs.—
Kaveh Zahedi,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
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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
Adjective
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The attorney general was adamant that if Running Fence broke the law, workers would be arrested and jailed, and contractors would lose their licenses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Lownie is adamant that their friendship dates back to 1991.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2025.
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