pervert 1 of 2

Definition of pervertnext

pervert

2 of 2

verb

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as in to abuse
to put to a bad or improper use accused of perverting the Internal Revenue Service by using it to harass political opponents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pervert different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of pervert are corrupt, debase, debauch, deprave, and vitiate. While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal.

perverted the original goals of the institute

Where would corrupt be a reasonable alternative to pervert?

While the synonyms corrupt and pervert are close in meaning, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity.

the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

When might debase be a better fit than pervert?

The words debase and pervert can be used in similar contexts, but debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity.

commercialism has debased the holiday

When is debauch a more appropriate choice than pervert?

The meanings of debauch and pervert largely overlap; however, debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence.

the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

When would deprave be a good substitute for pervert?

While in some cases nearly identical to pervert, deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences.

the claim that society is depraved by pornography

In what contexts can vitiate take the place of pervert?

The words vitiate and pervert are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect.

a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

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 pervert
Noun
Tarpley Hitt: Postwar miscreants, several perverts (value-neutral), corporate consolidation, lawsuits, copyright law, knockoffs/fakes, America, lying, dolls. Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025 The Gooneral’s attendees didn’t care that Malone was, from all available evidence, not a gooner at all but rather an unaffiliated, lone-wolf pervert. Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Even more poignant, however, is the Rosemary's Baby angle, where the innocence of childhood is drowned in blood and the notion that a young person reared in a loving environment should develop into a compassionate adult is perverted into unthinkable horror. Alan Bradley, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2025 The brand, which was based on changing the status quo and perverting common ideas, was a success and Babenzien learned how to build a business. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pervert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pervert
Noun
  • But 16 did, including two found in the human dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra, a region of the brain that degenerates in Parkinson’s disease.
    Freda Kreier, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2026
  • What should be a gripping thriller centered on new, uncharted technology and questionable loyalties degenerates into a jumbled mess.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • This concentration distorts markets, raises costs for families, threatens national security, and removes decisions from Texans’ hands.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Since his return to office in 2025, this firehose of lies has only accelerated, distorting everything from economic data to constitutional law.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But, if the release of the Epstein files has accomplished anything, it’s been to demonstrate how, on both sides of the Atlantic, systems corrupted by money are ripe for reform.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
  • American culture will not be mocked or corrupted without consequence.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Construction is set to begin on a new center in Morgan Hill for abused and neglected children and their families next month.
    Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Once installed, NexShield immediately starts abusing Chrome or Edge in the background.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Even the Dodgers, the cartoon villains of spending, kind of sort of have a limit.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • And Salieri seems more of hybrid creature, as though a villain out of Christopher Marlowe had suddenly been endowed with Shakespearean self-awareness.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some elements can misrepresent your aesthetic and make your home look outdated.
    Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.
    Kris Ann Valdez, Parents, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The court also found Yoon had subverted the constitutional order and abused his authority by ordering troops to storm parliament and arrest certain individuals including Lee Jae Myung, the liberal opposition leader at the time who is now South Korea’s president.
    Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
  • For his purposes of subverting elections, creating uncertainty may be nearly as effective as a real policy change.
    David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • His mismanagement was so reckless that key duties were stripped from the agency, & he was fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for misusing state & campaign funds.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • If the federal government insists on misusing courts as traps rather than the place where disputes are legally hashed out, then our justice system needs to find safe ways for people to appear.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pervert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pervert. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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