PERVERT Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

pervert 1 of 2

noun

ˈpər-ˌvərt

Definition of pervert

as in degenerate

a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard a pervert who, because of years of bad choices, couldn't get a job

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

saint

pervert

2 of 2

verb

pər-ˈvərt

as in to distort

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to corrupt

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

You are being spied on by a pervert. — Jay Ruttenberg, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026 Then, about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026

Verb

This quality has been perverted and exaggerated in Maddie’s Secret. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 11 June 2026 In recent years, drag has been positioned as a cultural lightning rod as part of a right-wing political effort to paint drag artists as depraved actors out to pervert gender norms, especially for children. — David MacK, CNN Money, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pervert

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pervert

Noun

But while his recent albums with Tony Seltzer and Subjxct 5 resurfaced some of the dynamism brought by Sporting Life during his younger years as the fire-breathing degenerate who tied Ratking together, that energy takes a backseat here.

— Lei Takanashi, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026
Now playback all the degenerate, violent entertainment Julianne has happily participated in throughout her career.

— Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026

Definition of degenerate

Verb

Because siblings often share aspects of their childhood environment and genetic background, these comparisons can help account for family influences that might otherwise distort the results.

— The Conversation US, Scientific American, 8 Aug. 2026
But scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of distort

Verb

Thomas Mann—who later changed his mind on such matters—believed that Germany in the First World War was fighting for its unique national soul against a shallow materialist Western civilization corrupted by rationalism.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
That said, real Strange may be corrupted by the Darkhold and Wanda could still be on her villain arc.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

Reports that federal immigration enforcement agencies have accessed Flock data, dozens of officers have abused the system to stalk women, and police have logged hundreds of searches related to protest activity sparked successive waves of backlash.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
Instead, the Children's Trust was used and abused by the Kittrells for exclusively their own purposes and in fact the Kittrells treat the trust assets for nearly all purposes as their own.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of abuse

Noun

The second is the idea that this is where Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch returns to the MCU after being seemingly killed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she had been turned into a full villain.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
But because Detroit chose the offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Skubal has unwittingly become a villain around the league.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of villain

Verb

The student still needs enough subject knowledge to tell a sound argument from a merely plausible one, to notice a missing source, or to recognize that a polished chart misrepresents its data.

— Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
We have been studied, tracked, misrepresented, and monetized by tools built without us and aimed at us.

— Daphne Bryson Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of misrepresent

Verb

Strnad wanted to subvert that arrangement and instead encircle the entire audience in a ring of stagecraft.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Commentators such as Canadian journalist and filmmaker Paul Jay, founder and former CEO of The Real News Network, have described the 2021 insurrection as a dry run for future attempts to subvert American democracy.

— James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026

Definition of subvert

Verb

The maker of the Taser recently phased out its drive-stun feature, a similar pain compliance tool that had been misused by some officers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Later in the month, a 17-year veteran of the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office was fired and arrested for misusing Flock license plate data, which was identified during an internal probe.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of misuse

Browse Nearby Words

perversive

pervert

perverted

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pervert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pervert. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pervert

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on pervert

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vacuous

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes