perverse

adjective

per·​verse (ˌ)pər-ˈvərs How to pronounce perverse (audio)
ˈpər-ˌvərs
1
a
: turned away from what is right or good : corrupt
c
: contrary to the evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law
perverse verdict
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
perversely adverb
perverseness noun
perversity noun
Choose the Right Synonym for perverse

contrary, perverse, restive, balky, wayward mean inclined to resist authority or control.

contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice.

a contrary child

perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal.

a perverse, intractable critic

restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders.

tired soldiers growing restive

balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action.

a balky witness

wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior.

a school for wayward youths

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 Saltburn reigned supreme as the most polarizing film of the year, with some (including EW) hailing it as a perverse psychosexual thriller and others deriding its outré storytelling. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 Insurance companies argue that this provides Consumer Watchdog and others a perverse incentive to turn every rate filing into a battle in order to get paid their fees. Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Legislators, pharmaceutical CEOs, payers, PBMs, and other stakeholders need to work together to evaluate the current system, eliminate perverse incentives, and outline the steps required to fix healthcare. Rita Numerof, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The tone here is highly distinctive, entwining a perverse boastfulness with traumatic dread. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Constructing this tale about the pursuit of justice has required the machinations of a perverse system. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2024 As Russia has grown increasingly unconcerned about pleasing the West, identifying with these ugly orcs has, in some circles, become a matter of perverse pride. Eliot Borenstein, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 These are the perverse economics of being a reality-TV star. Irina Aleksander, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 His early work on price theory established the power of markets and the perverse effects of government intervention. Korok Ray, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perverse.' 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

Middle English, from Anglo-French purvers, pervers, from Latin perversus, from past participle of pervertere

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near perverse

Cite this Entry

“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perverse. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

perverse

adjective
per·​verse (ˌ)pər-ˈvərs How to pronounce perverse (audio)
ˈpər-ˌvərs
1
: morally bad : corrupt
2
: stubborn in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : wrongheaded
3
4
: marked by perversion : perverted
perversely adverb
perverseness noun

Medical Definition

perverse

adjective
per·​verse pər-ˈvərs How to pronounce perverse (audio)
: being, relating to, or characterized by perversion
perverse sexual behavior

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