adj C2 Proficient

depraved

dih-PRAYVD

Depraved (adj) means Morally corrupt or twisted; showing a serious lack of decent values. Example: “The novel's villain is a genuinely depraved character with no remorse.”

adj

Morally corrupt or twisted; showing a serious lack of decent values.

"The novel's villain is a genuinely depraved character with no remorse."

"Critics called the crime one of the most depraved in the city's history."

How to use depraved

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDeeply morally wrong or corrupted — much stronger than just "bad" or "naughty".

Common pairings

depraved mind morally depraved depraved act

Word forms

more depraved comparative, most depraved superlative

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The novel's villain is a genuinely _____ character with no remorse.

Etymology

From Latin depravare, "to distort or corrupt," from de- + pravus, "crooked, bad."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for depraved

saved waved paved Javed shaved behaved engraved bereaved

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Frequently asked questions

What does “depraved” mean?

The word “depraved” means morally corrupt or twisted; showing a serious lack of decent values. In plain terms, deeply morally wrong or corrupted — much stronger than just "bad" or "naughty".

How do you pronounce “depraved”?

“Depraved” is pronounced dih-PRAYVD (/dɪˈpɹeɪvd/ in IPA).

How do you use “depraved” in a sentence?

Here is “depraved” used in a sentence: “The novel's villain is a genuinely depraved character with no remorse.”

What part of speech is “depraved”?

“Depraved” is an adjective.

Where does the word “depraved” come from?

The word “depraved” comes from Latin. From Latin depravare, "to distort or corrupt," from de- + pravus, "crooked, bad.".

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