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
-
Well remember, there’s a corrupt shadow hanging over the Supreme Court.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
Voicer Chris Lee conjures a hypothetically corrupt fire inspection system to oppose battery storage.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The first mystery that could be solved involves an ultradense clump of matter detected in the system JVAS B1938+666, which is gravitationally lensed, or visibly distorted, thanks to a quirk of general relativity.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
-
Nonetheless, Munden added his own visual flair, with color saturation, distorted close-ups to show the characters’ disorientation, and mesmerizing shots of nature writ large (raging fires, roiling ocean waves, torrential storms) and small (ants devouring a bug).—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Roza — a woman testifying under her first name — was an aspiring model from Uzbekistan when Epstein abused her in 2009, after the plea deal and while he was supposed to be under house arrest.—
Claire Healy,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
Cook was labeled a vexatious litigant in 2018 until the Idaho Supreme Court in 2021 reversed the case, finding that the court abused its discretion.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
13 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
-
Those who intentionally concealed their criminal histories or misrepresented themselves during the naturalization process will face the fullest extent of the law.—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
To be inclusive, media content and communication messages should include a wider variety of people than has been standard in the past, and more awareness of the framing or portrayal of people, especially minority groups who have been misrepresented or underrepresented.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 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’s government plans to investigate and recover public funds misused under Orbán while ordering appointees to step down and joining EU corruption probes.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Magyar plans to establish a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating and recovering public funds misused during Orbán's tenure.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverted. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
