1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
how can you be so cheerful one day, and so perverse the next?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
the kind of perverseness that makes you want to snap at anyone who makes the mistake of greeting you
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 perverse
Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
For his perverse entertainment, Tucker hauls Zephyr up on deck and straps her into a chair to witness a horrific spectacle.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
This creates a perverse feedback loop where responsibilities are outsourced or shifted and our capacity and sense of responsibility for adapting diminishes.
—Maureen Metcalf, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stepping out of his lane as an entertainer, Springsteen appealed to anti-American interests (video clips captured a pathetic smattering of applause from the Brit audience, which is undergoing its own social crises), in the form of perverse Americana.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Adjective
This creates a perverse situation where even clear statutory violations such as this by the president are normal criminal enforcement.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
For his perverse entertainment, Tucker hauls Zephyr up on deck and straps her into a chair to witness a horrific spectacle.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025
This creates a perverse feedback loop where responsibilities are outsourced or shifted and our capacity and sense of responsibility for adapting diminishes.
—Maureen Metcalf, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stepping out of his lane as an entertainer, Springsteen appealed to anti-American interests (video clips captured a pathetic smattering of applause from the Brit audience, which is undergoing its own social crises), in the form of perverse Americana.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perverse
Adjective
-
Her tone is free-associative, irritable and rat-a-tat.—
Alexandra Jacobs,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
When an owner is distracted or irritable from work stress, the dog notices.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
His family’s investments in cryptocurrency, including allegations of corrupt self-dealing, galvanized most Democrats to oppose the bill.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 June 2025
-
The film gathers immoral cops, ruthless women and corrupt politicians to complete the world of populist cinema based in hinterlands of India.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Then Curry, rattled by the monumental reverb of Kyrie’s shot, hurried into a stubborn approach on the ensuing possession, missed a desperate 3 over Kevin Love, who used his length and a rare display of defensive intensity to deny Curry a good look.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
-
All of which can be employed by Musk or anyone else using AI to target us with false political advertising tailored to our most stubborn biases, further dividing us, manipulating elections and solidifying what has already become a fascist state.—
Sal Recchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
What if the user is in an inappropriate environment?—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
-
The constable’s office was notified of the inappropriate request June 10 when the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force came into contact with Slusher’s request, officials said in a news release.—
Kate Linderman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
This can cause sweating, hand tremors, or irritability.—
Janelle McSwiggin,
Health,
14 June 2025
-
The condition can cause symptoms like exhaustion, irritability, unintentional weight loss, hand tremors, and skin discoloration, according to the Mayo Clinic. About 1 percent of Americans have Graves' disease, according to Yale Medicine.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
But, Jackson pairs them with a matching black leotard and a floor-length trench coat, letting all the attention fall on the fiery red pointed pumps.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie Charles from Little House on the Prairie has a fiery spirit aligning him with the zodiac sign.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
Shot on low-grade digital cameras that made every image look even more apocalyptic and degraded, the film remains utterly terrifying, boasting excellent supporting turns from Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson as Jim’s fellow survivors.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
-
The good news is that General Mills is more than 60% of the way to achieving its goal of advancing regenerative agriculture—farming practices that regenerate degraded soil—on a million acres of land by 2030.—
Dave Levinthal,
Fortune,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
Football has typically accepted these lapses and quietly moved on, adamant that the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) is primarily a problem for other sports.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
It’s become the latest project that’s caused high tension among Prairie Village residents — with a new group that’s formed to rally residents to push against the city’s plans, while others are adamant for its approval.—
Taylor O’Connor,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverse. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share