as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
the perverted values of a society that had taken permissiveness to the extreme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in distorted
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of
that summary really perverts the other candidate's views on taxes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corrupted
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
a movie that perverted the Bible story by reveling in the sinners' lewd behavior until just before the moment of divine retribution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in abused
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
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 perverted
Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Udo Kier is the perverted master of ceremonies in this three-ring circus of deviancy from director Paul Morrissey, which takes Frankenstein’s romantic necrophilia and distills it to its glistening, taboo essence.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for perverted
Adjective
This creates a jarring effect as the significance of her busy endeavours is sublimated by the perverted impulse to judge her physical form.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
Udo Kier is the perverted master of ceremonies in this three-ring circus of deviancy from director Paul Morrissey, which takes Frankenstein’s romantic necrophilia and distills it to its glistening, taboo essence.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
Murry corrupted and perverted and destroyed Katherine both as a person and a writer […] Her gifts were those of an intense realist, with a superb sense of ironic humour and fundamental cynicism.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for perverted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perverted
Adjective
-
The film explores themes of power and coming of age in a corrupt society, with campus culture wars and climate grief at its center.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Dahlia, a disillusioned police aide, breaks into the mansion of the corrupt police chief Bernal and steals the money from his safe, unloading the funds to slum dwellers whose settlement Bernal razed down.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The body does not care about your percentile ranking when the anatomy is distorted, the bleeding starts, and the room becomes quiet.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
At first, the gorgeous ripe berries are evidence of how perfect our planet can be, corrupted only by the selfish impulses of a human race that’s largely uninterested in caring for anything on it when there isn’t a profit to be made.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
-
An independent redistricting commission — transparent, balanced and insulated from the very political pressures that have corrupted this process.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
While the increasing numbers have been welcomed, authorities have expressed concern that the 60-day visa-free policy was being abused by foreign nationals seeking to work illegally or engage in crime.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
-
The accusations against Freddy Zelaya, 46, began after a man came forward to report he had been abused by Zelaya as a child, according to a series of arrest affidavits by the Miami Beach Police Department.—
Sofia Saric
May 20,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
But in 2003, it was considered too degraded to be capable of producing a match using methods available at the time.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
And here was someone who was being completely humiliated, publicly humiliated, degraded, disgraced, handed a punishment that no member of the family has had — to have all their titles taken away, to be effectively un-royal, de-royaled.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Researchers and athletes both say that the public conversation has outpaced — and frequently misrepresented — the science, leaving athletes such as Browne to carry the weight of a question far more complex than a hot take.—
Starre Vartan,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
-
Fairbanks was among those in Crawford's life who believed the actress was misrepresented by her daughter in both the memoir and its subsequent film adaptation.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Online court records show he is charged with first-degree murder dangerous depraved without premeditation.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Murdering a teenaged iconic athlete shows how deeply depraved the Iranian leadership is.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Magyar has pledged to create the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating and seeking to recover public funds allegedly misused during Orbán’s tenure.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
More than 13 million Americans have misused nitrous oxide, according a 2023 national survey.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverted. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
