perverse

adjective

per·​verse (ˌ)pər-ˈvərs How to pronounce perverse (audio)
ˈpər-ˌvərs
Synonyms of perverse
1
a
: turned away from what is right or good : corrupt
b
: improper, incorrect
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
pər-ˈvər-sə-tē How to pronounce perverse (audio)
-stē
noun

Synonyms of perverse

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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
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.
Physical limitations are a recurring factor, even as their appearance is an honest extension of the uses to which Nauman has put his body, in often deliberately perverse ways, since the works of the mid-1960s. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 Because of perverse incentives, a system intended to make information about the present and knowledge about the future more transparent has made the world more opaque and volatile. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 The smokejumpers hatched a plan to appeal to Big Ernie’s perverse sense of humor. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Amid a national cinema that has become internationally recognized for perverse plotting and deadpan absurdism, writer-director Alexis Alexiou‘s third feature stands out for its stark storytelling and earnest emotional intensity. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perverse

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

Phrases Containing perverse

Rhymes for perverse

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Browse Nearby Words

per verba de praesenti
perverse
perversely
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Cite this Entry

“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perverse. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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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
: irritable, cranky
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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