pervert

1 of 2

verb

per·​vert pər-ˈvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
perverted; perverting; perverts
Synonyms of pervertnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right : corrupt
b
: to cause to turn aside or away from what is generally done or accepted : misdirect
2
a
: to divert to a wrong end or purpose : misuse
b
: to twist the meaning or sense of : misinterpret
perverter noun

pervert

2 of 2

noun

per·​vert ˈpər-ˌvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
: one that has been perverted
specifically : one given to some form of sexual perversion

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for pervert

debase, vitiate, deprave, corrupt, debauch, pervert mean to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character.

debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity.

commercialism has debased the holiday

vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect.

a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences.

the claim that society is depraved by pornography

corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity.

the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence.

the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal.

perverted the original goals of the institute

Examples of pervert in a Sentence

Verb people who pervert their religion to support violence They perverted the truth to help further their careers. movies that pervert the minds of young people by glorifying violence Noun a pervert who, because of years of bad choices, couldn't get a job
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Today’s reality-TV and SJW movies pervert the potentialities of spiritual and social realism. —Armond White, National Review, 19 June 2024 He’s effectively perverted her exercise routine, stretching her into a nightmarish yoga pose of death. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 31 May 2024
Noun
Obviously, this perverts language as a tool of communication and reshapes it into a vehicle for tribalism. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 26 June 2024 By the end of August, detectives were pursuing their next pet theory — death by pervert. —Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pervert 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pervert.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French purvertir, pervertir, from Latin pervertere to overturn, corrupt, pervert, from per- thoroughly + vertere to turn — more at per-, worth

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1501, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pervert was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing pervert

Dictionary Entries Near pervert

perversive

pervert

perverted

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pervert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pervert. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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Kids Definition

pervert

1 of 2 verb
per·​vert pər-ˈvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
1
: to cause to turn away from what is good or true or right : corrupt
2
: to put to a wrong use
3
: to give a wrong meaning to : misinterpret

pervert

2 of 2 noun
per·​vert ˈpər-ˌvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
: one that is perverted
especially : one given to some form of sexual perversion

Medical Definition

pervert

1 of 2 transitive verb
per·​vert pər-ˈvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
: to cause to engage in perversion or to become perverted

pervert

2 of 2 noun
per·​vert ˈpər-ˌvərt How to pronounce pervert (audio)
: one that has been perverted
specifically : one given to some form of sexual perversion

More from Merriam-Webster on pervert

Nglish: Translation of pervert for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pervert for Arabic Speakers

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