pervert

26 synonyms and 9 antonyms for pervert, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A person whose sexual behavior or interests are considered abnormal or unacceptable.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

file abuse

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

corrupt warp misuse

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

adulterate debauch demoralize detort immoralize lead astray pollute preposterate seduce sophisticate suborn subvert tamper unmoralize vitiate debase deprave demoralise convolute misdirect profane

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A person whose sexual behavior or interests are considered abnormal or unacceptable.

“The police arrested a pervert who had been following women home.”

adulterate corrupt debauch demoralize detort file immoralize lead astray pollute preposterate seduce sophisticate suborn subvert tamper unmoralize vitiate warp

Opposites

fortify moralize purify rectify reform set aright spiritualize straighten out unpervert

2. verb

To corrupt or distort something from its original or proper purpose.

“Bribing a witness is an attempt to pervert the course of justice.”

debauch misuse debase deprave demoralise sophisticate convolute misdirect abuse profane demoralize corrupt

How to use pervert

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

pervert the course of justice pervert justice

The noun sense is a strong, judgmental label — use carefully.

Etymology

From Old French pervertir, from Latin pervertere ("to turn about, overturn, corrupt"), from per- ("thoroughly") + vertere ("to turn").

Full origin of pervert →

People also searched

file abuse reform corrupt warp misuse seduce rectify purify moralize demoralize adulterate

Nearby words

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