perverse
puh-VURS
Perverse (adjective) means Deliberately behaving in a way that is unreasonable, contrary, or against what is expected or sensible. Example: “It seemed perverse to complain about the free upgrade.”
adjective
1
Deliberately behaving in a way that is unreasonable, contrary, or against what is expected or sensible.
"It seemed perverse to complain about the free upgrade."
"There's a perverse satisfaction in doing things the hard way."
2
Showing an unusual and often unhealthy or twisted deviation from what is considered normal or moral.
"He took a perverse pleasure in watching them argue."
How to use perverse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStubbornly or oddly contrary to what makes sense, or twisted in a darker moral sense.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
perverse logic
perverse pleasure
perverse incentive
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Word forms
- Plural
- perverses
- Third person singular
- perverses
- Past tense
- perversed
- Comparative
- more perverse, perverser
- Superlative
- most perverse, perversest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It seemed _____ to complain about the free upgrade.
Etymology
From Old French pervers, from Latin perversus ("turned the wrong way"), past participle of pervertere — see "pervert."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for perverse
See all rhymes for perverse →Frequently asked questions
What does “perverse” mean?
The word “perverse” means deliberately behaving in a way that is unreasonable, contrary, or against what is expected or sensible. In plain terms, stubbornly or oddly contrary to what makes sense, or twisted in a darker moral sense.
How do you pronounce “perverse”?
“Perverse” is pronounced puh-VURS (/pɚˈvɝs/ in IPA).
How do you use “perverse” in a sentence?
Here is “perverse” used in a sentence: “It seemed perverse to complain about the free upgrade.”
What is another word for “perverse”?
Words with a similar meaning to “perverse” include contrary, cross, froward, intractable, petulant and stubborn.
What is the opposite of “perverse”?
The opposite of “perverse” — its antonyms — are innocent, tractable and amenable.
What part of speech is “perverse”?
“Perverse” is an adjective.
Where does the word “perverse” come from?
The word “perverse” comes from Latin. From Old French pervers, from Latin perversus ("turned the wrong way"), past participle of pervertere — see "pervert.".
Is “perverse” a common word?
“Perverse” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
