depravity

noun

de·​prav·​i·​ty di-ˈpra-və-tē 

 also  -ˈprā-

plural depravities

1

: a corrupt act or practice

the depravities of war

2

: the quality or state of being corrupt, evil, or perverted : the quality or state of being depraved

He is awed by its fabulous wealth but deeply troubled by what he sees as its moral depravity …

—Nicholas D. Kristof

Synonyms

• degradation
• corruption
• corruptness
• dissoluteness

Examples of depravity in a Sentence

He was sinking into a life of utter depravity.

People were shocked by the depravity of her actions.

Recent Examples on the Web

This act of violence against the people actually bringing relief to Gazans lays bare the depravity of Hamas. —Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 6 July 2025

In the first film in the Firefly trilogy, 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses, the depths of Spaulding’s depravity and his connection to the murderous Firefly clan aren’t fully clear. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 May 2025

Succession managed to capture the depravity, hilarity, and emptiness of modern politics, media, and moguldom existing parallel to the perpetual real-life crises of its run from 2018 to 2023. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025

Physical tiles representing tragedy and human depravity. —Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

see deprave

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing depravity

• total depravity

Rhymes for depravity

• concavity
• cavity
• gravity
• intracavity
• microgravity
• supergravity

Kids Definition

depravity

noun

de·​prav·​i·​ty di-ˈprav-ət-ē 

plural depravities

1

: a corrupt act or practice

2

: the quality or state of being depraved

Legal Definition

depravity

noun

de·​prav·​i·​ty di-ˈpra-və-tē 

plural depravities

1

: the quality or state of being depraved

2

: a corrupt act or practice