depraved 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈprāvd How to pronounce depraved (audio)
Definition of depravednext
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards the depraved actions of a gang of madmen who had gained control of an entire nation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

depraved

2 of 2

verb

past tense of deprave
as in perverted
to lower in character, dignity, or quality the belief that pornography depraves society as a whole

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 depraved
Adjective
On Thursday, June 11, Joshua Smith, 35, pleaded guilty to depraved indifference murder in Penobscot County Superior Court in the death of his son, Braxtyn Smith. — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 15 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
Verb
Online court records show he is charged with first-degree murder dangerous depraved without premeditation. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026 Murdering a teenaged iconic athlete shows how deeply depraved the Iranian leadership is. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depraved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depraved
  1. corrupt
  2. perverted
  3. degraded
  4. corrupted
  5. sick
  6. weakened
  7. humiliated
  8. debauched
Adjective
  • Postwar Germany ran a denazification program, for example, while recent elections in Ukraine ousted corrupt, pro-Moscow leaders.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Christian pleaded guilty in New Haven Superior Court to violating the corrupt organizations and racketeering act and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, the DCJ said.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • More important to Bernstein is what that lust reveals about her characters’ deepest needs, specifically how their need to care and be cared for can be as easily perverted as any other form of desire.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
  • Georgia Bernstein’s unsettling directorial debut focuses on how warped and perverted those desires become when they’re taken to their insatiable extremes.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of perverted
Adjective
  • Perhaps building on degraded land, sharing space with agriculture, and designing eco-friendly infrastructure.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, degraded working conditions—see, the adjunctification discourse—make academic professionalization less and less sustainable.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of degraded
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
Adjective
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Sanchez also ordered a meal from Taco Bell, but didn’t get sick.
    — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sick
Verb
  • Airstrikes have weakened the regime militarily but strengthened its standing internally.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That mechanism has weakened substantially since the global financial crisis, and particularly since 2020.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakened
Verb
  • In their first national title game, the Wildcats humiliated Oklahoma in the national semifinal by 44, and in their second, demoralized Michigan in the title game by 17.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • After being publicly humiliated by Daemon Targaryen and lured to switch sides (with his dragon) to the Greens by Ormund Hightower, party animal Ulf is still drunk and MIA when the battle starts.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of humiliated
Verb
  • Just as bright, witty, and debauched as their namesake, this unique protagonist is on a path of self-discovery, gaining insight into not just their gender identity, but also their preternatural attraction to transgression and risk.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
  • And regular Kate Moss’s turn on the decks one memorable, and debauched, night in 2015 had revelers literally swinging from the chandeliers.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 13 June 2026
Definition of debauched

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Cite this Entry

“Depraved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depraved. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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