perverse
adjective
per·verse
(ˌ)pər-ˈvərs 
ˈpər-ˌvərs
1
2
a
: obstinate in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : wrongheaded
b
: arising from or indicative of stubbornness or obstinacy
3
: marked by peevishness or petulance : cranky
4
: marked by perversion
Examples of perverse in a Sentence
their perverse cruelty to animals
She has a perverse fascination with death.
He seems to take perverse pleasure in making things as difficult as possible.
His friends all enjoy his perverse sense of humor.
Is this some kind of perverse joke?
Recent Examples on the Web
This creates a perverse feedback loop where responsibilities are outsourced or shifted and our capacity and sense of responsibility for adapting diminishes.
—
Maureen Metcalf, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stepping out of his lane as an entertainer, Springsteen appealed to anti-American interests (video clips captured a pathetic smattering of applause from the Brit audience, which is undergoing its own social crises), in the form of perverse Americana.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
David Cronenberg’s coolly perverse Dead Ringers dissects the entangled psyche of identical twin gynecologists, Beverly and Elliot Mantle (an iconic dual performance by Jeremy Irons).
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
Both productions succeeded in repositioning Salome as a perverse instrument of justice.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
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Maureen Metcalf, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stepping out of his lane as an entertainer, Springsteen appealed to anti-American interests (video clips captured a pathetic smattering of applause from the Brit audience, which is undergoing its own social crises), in the form of perverse Americana.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
David Cronenberg’s coolly perverse Dead Ringers dissects the entangled psyche of identical twin gynecologists, Beverly and Elliot Mantle (an iconic dual performance by Jeremy Irons).
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
Both productions succeeded in repositioning Salome as a perverse instrument of justice.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for perverse
Cite this Entry
“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perverse. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perverse
adjective
per·verse
(ˌ)pər-ˈvərs
ˈpər-ˌvərs
1
: morally bad : corrupt
2
: stubborn in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : wrongheaded
4
: marked by perversion : perverted
perversely
adverb
perverseness
noun
Medical Definition
perverse
adjective
per·verse
pər-ˈvərs
: being, relating to, or characterized by perversion
perverse sexual behavior
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