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
a certain coworker's habitual perversity makes him unpleasant to be around
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
Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Part pie-eyed rom-com and part pitch-black comedy, Oh, Hi! — the title itself is an in-joke between the two young lovers — basks in the glow of a genre that specializes in selling happily-ever-after fantasies, then takes a perverse glee in throwing buckets of cold water on your expectations.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2025
Thompson said during the hearing that his actions were selfish, perverse and wrong.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2025
The false narrative of a genocide of white people in South Africa is thus truly perverse; the murders of whites are the visible crust under which lies a veritable carnage of young Black men.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Adjective
That discrepancy offers states a perverse incentive to prioritize enrolling healthy adults over those most in need.
—Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Part pie-eyed rom-com and part pitch-black comedy, Oh, Hi! — the title itself is an in-joke between the two young lovers — basks in the glow of a genre that specializes in selling happily-ever-after fantasies, then takes a perverse glee in throwing buckets of cold water on your expectations.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2025
Thompson said during the hearing that his actions were selfish, perverse and wrong.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2025
The false narrative of a genocide of white people in South Africa is thus truly perverse; the murders of whites are the visible crust under which lies a veritable carnage of young Black men.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perverse
Adjective
-
SSRIs are linked to a condition called neonatal adaption syndrome, in which infants are born jittery, irritable and with abnormal muscle tone.—
Andrew Novick,
The Conversation,
31 July 2025
-
Frequently, kids who suppress emotions at school come home irritable in a low-key fashion at home.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
But these are only the 'official' statistics released by corrupt City Officials.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The Boys, a satirical drama about vigilantes who set out to take down corrupt superheroes, is gearing up for the release of its fifth and final season, expected sometime in 2026 on Prime Video.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For Baxter and the stubborn Scot, this marked, at last, the reality of war’s end.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Here’s the case for Scorpio: Wednesday is suss, secretive, brooding, vengeful and stubborn.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In the video, Adams accuses the man of being inappropriate with a minor on Grindr, a LGBTQ+ dating and social networking app where the minimum age to make an account is 18.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Avoid anything offensive, violent or inappropriate.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Any noise, lights or screens would cause John to experience headaches, dizziness, irritability, and overwhelm.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Perpetual daylight has its downside, disrupting sleep, leading to irritability – and worse.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Only the last photo during the end credits pictures the fiery aftermath of Hutch’s ultimate battle with Ladeena.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The fiery and destructive reentry created a fireball that streaked across the skies over Spain, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reports.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Smoke and particle pollution, primarily traced to wildfires burning in Canada, contributed to the degraded air quality, which officials said may persist until at least Thursday.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
-
On top of software setbacks, the OP said the vehicle's battery had to be replaced, but with a degraded unit that reduced range by 30 miles overnight.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
However, Coast Guard officials were adamant that FEMA makes the ultimate decision, and that FEMA’s choices may differ from the Coast Guard’s recommendations.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 July 2025
-
However, she’s remained adamant that to pull off paying homage to the famed actress, everything must be done right.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverse. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share