pervert 1 of 2

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
Using nature without spiritual belief (which Wicked perverts and so gets defended for its obvious, offensive politics) weakens The Wild Robot as a morality tale. Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025 The days of pandering to perverts and woke PFCs are over. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
Verb
Andrew faces charges of obstructing a coroner in the execution of his or her duty, as well as doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025 Yet perverting that good news story into some tawdry political gain cheapens SpaceX, NASA, and Wilmore and Williams. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pervert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pervert
Noun
  • Novak: The fact that this group of degenerates, these bloodsucking, mass-murdering vampires and wannabe vampires, [could be] so lovable is amazing.
    Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
  • Those who hold advanced degrees in mathematics and analytics, or your favorite degenerate gambler, know any piece of datum is only reliant on the trove of data that occurred previously.
    Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • Over time, that line has been distorted beyond recognition, used more to silence churches than to protect them.
    Lauren Cooley, Sun Sentinel, 21 July 2025
  • First, Jane Street intentionally distorted the less liquid cash market to profit on the more liquid options market.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • When politicians—rather than professionals—can select which types of research can be funded and how that money can be spent based on their own preferences, the entire pursuit of knowledge is corrupted.
    Brian Sandberg, Time, 16 July 2025
  • Any profession can corrupt its practitioners — and arts critics are no exception.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • According to prosecutors, Maxwell helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse minor girls from about 1994 to about 2004, including girls as young as 14 years old.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 July 2025
  • At the time of her death, Sardinha was studying to become a counselor with the hope of working with women who had been abused, her mother told Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael J. Leversen.
    Sean Emery, Oc Register, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • The film is currently filming in London with Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors behind the highest-grossing MCU movies ever, back behind the camera; Downey now playing the chief villain; and a slew of stars from the lost era of Fox's X-Men movies reprising their roles for the first time in years.
    EW.com, EW.com, 24 July 2025
  • In 1994, Hogan joined WCW and reinvented himself as a villain, forming the New World Order (nWo) and ushering in a new era of edgy storytelling.
    Hannah Parry Amanda Castro Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Without that visibility, AI might ignore you or misrepresent you based on outdated or irrelevant content.
    Christine Wetzler, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • In the suit, filed on behalf of Reed and his wife in Davidson County Chancery Court on Jan. 17, Reed contends the school breached his contract, misrepresented his role in the response and inflicted emotional distress on him and his wife, among other things.
    Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • On the flip side, some influencers have posted images of them wearing Skims' retro girdle as a sole outfit, subverting the 1950s connotation of undergarments as visible only to one's husband, said Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, professor of gender at Case Western Reserve University.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 10 July 2025
  • Alex managed to bypass Charlie’s detection by training herself to swallow all her natural impulses when lying, subverting the template of the show and what fans have come to expect.
    Matt Minton, Variety, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Disagreement exists on whether excess SEEK funds were misused and if KDE's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts were ineffective.
    Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 July 2025
  • The symbolic 5-2 vote followed council members’ accusations that Burns failed to notify them about legislation that made Monroe’s elections partisan, misused the city’s logo and address to share personal political views, and struggled to maintain order during meetings.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pervert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pervert. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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