as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
a certain coworker's habitual perversity makes him unpleasant to be around
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of perversity
From top to bottom, this administration embodies the perversity, ignorance and belligerence of its leader.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
His shrieking reactions to his wife’s savagery throw into relief his good nature and her perversity.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
For me, there’s always the perversity of getting on a trendy bandwagon and just liking it for the irony.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Here, Henkel leans into the inherent perversity that lingered in the sequels but has rarely been effectively employed since Hooper’s original.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
The perversity of government stakes in private companies is made even clearer by other Washington antics.
—Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Actions matter, not words that, in their perversity, made matters worse.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
His shrieking reactions to his wife’s savagery throw into relief his good nature and her perversity.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
For me, there’s always the perversity of getting on a trendy bandwagon and just liking it for the irony.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Here, Henkel leans into the inherent perversity that lingered in the sequels but has rarely been effectively employed since Hooper’s original.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
The perversity of government stakes in private companies is made even clearer by other Washington antics.
—Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Actions matter, not words that, in their perversity, made matters worse.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perversity
Noun
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Another sign are cognitive and behavioral changes, which may include confusion, memory problems, irritability, and mood swings.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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The patches do more than simply lessen symptoms such as night sweats and irritability.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Children are also on screens now more than ever, which is believed to contribute to more anxiety, depression, aggression and hyperactivity.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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But a full strength Edwards frequently finds ways to make opponents pay for such aggression by firing up the boosters to turn a corner and get downhill with aggression.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Embiid’s aggressiveness early — along with Tyrese Maxey’s speed and ability to put defenders in bad positions — put the Knicks in unfavorable foul trouble early.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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The team with the league’s highest payroll going down in the first round to a heavy underdog is bad for business, but Allen changed the entire dynamic with his defensive aggressiveness and rebounding.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perversity. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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