PERVERTED Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

perverted 1 of 2

adjective

pər-ˈvər-təd

Definition of perverted

as in corrupt

having or showing lowered moral character or standards the perverted values of a society that had taken permissiveness to the extreme

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perverted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of pervert

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

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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

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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

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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

Adjective

But even by its perverted lights, those numbers don’t convey a booming economy screaming for restraint. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026 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

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

And Alice’s superior, FBI agent Nora Washington (Quincy Tyler Bernstine), realizes that her corrupt boss Ed George (Danny McCarthy), who was covering up Easton’s crimes, will retain his ASAC position at the FBI.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
That strategy allowed the Kremlin to publicly deny the existence of political repression while portraying the opposition as inherently corrupt.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

Scott the aesthete, the creator of indelible images and ethereal moods who was unafraid to linger in beauty, even when that beauty was corrupted.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
As a result, the notion of utopia became increasingly associated with the sci-fi genre, while the idea of creating a perfect social order here on earth was corrupted by totalitarian regimes.

— Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrupted

Verb

Furious season 1 wrapped up the case as Alice arrested Catherine at Jay Easton’s (Peter McRobbie) house — the site where Catherine and her friend Isabel (Larissa Campos) were abused.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
That series revealed just how little many local police departments are doing to make sure street-camera data is not being abused.

— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of abused

Adjective

Energy analysts have consistently cautioned that raising Venezuelan output meaningfully will take years and billions of dollars in repairs to degraded infrastructure.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
That matters because degraded land is not simply an environmental concern.

— Shooka Bidarian, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of degraded

Verb

The federal case was based on allegations the social media giant misrepresented the extent of child mental health harms caused by apps like Facebook and Instagram.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
That’s especially true for Black communities that have been harmfully misrepresented by mainstream outlets.

— Danielle K. Brown, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of misrepresented

Verb

In Brussels’ view, those weaknesses create a direct risk that EU funds can be misused without such abuse being properly detected or punished.

— Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug. 2026
An officer with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department who misused the county’s license plate reader system has been demoted, suspended without pay and faced other disciplinary measures, according to a release from Sheriff Jeffery Balon.

— Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of misused

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“Perverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverted. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of perverted

adjective

verb

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