DEPRAVE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'deprave' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deprave are corrupt , debase , debauch , pervert , and vitiate . While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences. // the claim that society is depraved by pornography

Q: Where would 'corrupt' be a reasonable alternative to 'deprave'?

The meanings of corrupt and deprave largely overlap; however, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity. // the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

Q: When can 'debase' be used instead of 'deprave'?

While the synonyms debase and deprave are close in meaning, debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity. // commercialism has debased the holiday

Q: In what contexts can 'debauch' take the place of 'deprave'?

Although the words debauch and deprave have much in common, debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence. // the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

Q: When might 'pervert' be a better fit than 'deprave'?

In some situations, the words pervert and deprave are roughly equivalent. However, pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal. // perverted the original goals of the institute

Q: When is 'vitiate' a more appropriate choice than 'deprave'?

While in some cases nearly identical to deprave , vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect. // a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

deprave

verb

di-ˈprāv

Definition of deprave

as in to corrupt

to lower in character, dignity, or quality the belief that pornography depraves society as a whole

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word deprave different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deprave are corrupt, debase, debauch, pervert, and vitiate. While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences.

the claim that society is depraved by pornography

Where would corrupt be a reasonable alternative to deprave?

The meanings of corrupt and deprave largely overlap; however, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity.

the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

When can debase be used instead of deprave?

While the synonyms debase and deprave are close in meaning, debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity.

commercialism has debased the holiday

In what contexts can debauch take the place of deprave?

Although the words debauch and deprave have much in common, debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence.

the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

When might pervert be a better fit than deprave?

In some situations, the words pervert and deprave are roughly equivalent. However, pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal.

perverted the original goals of the institute

When is vitiate a more appropriate choice than deprave?

While in some cases nearly identical to deprave, vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect.

a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

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 deprave 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 Trump's No Kings video was truly depraved. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025 DiCaprio has played disturbed and depraved individuals in Scorsese’s films before, but Killers of the Flower Moon is something different. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025 This is especially true when the news operation is clearly on the side of righteousness against a policy as depraved this. — David Zurawik, baltimoresun.com, 15 June 2018 McDonagh complicates Mildred's story by showing how the lust for justice can grow depraved the longer it is denied — a favorite subject of dramatists going back to Aeschylus. — Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 1 Mar. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deprave

Verb

At every stop, Talarico has argued that, for too long, the wealthy and their donations have corrupted politics, and that this corruption has fueled the affordability crisis.

— STEVEN SLOAN, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
And that includes his warning that TV news has been corrupted by the agendas of the powerful, wealthy billionaires who now control a large portion of the media.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

With a major election less than a week away, candidates and their consultants are pounding Floridians with a barrage of words — some intended to cast themselves in a flattering light, some intended to smear and degrade their opponents.

— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Faulkner said he is fed up with Citation’s yearslong pattern of degrading his pastures.

— Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

Conditions were expected to improve Saturday afternoon as winds weakened, with fair and dry weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
As trust in America weakens further, other wealthy nations will make the same calculation.

— Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

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 debauch

Verb

The four Egyptians were never formally notified of the charges and never appeared in court, an anomaly that their lawyers said perverted the course of the trial.

— New York Times, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Continue reading … HARD LEFT PIVOT — Newsom says Electoral College has 'perverted' US politics in fiery interview.

— , FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of pervert

Verb

The Grace twist exists solely as a way to subvert the expectations of viewers who have seen the first movie.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
David Radcliff’s work crosses genres and formats, but his favorite projects are those that broaden understanding and empathy through humor and subverted expectations.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of subvert

Verb

Its death, poisoned by anti-freeze in April 2020 during Spain’s COVID confinement, sparks on screen and real-life the first criminal investigation in Spain and Europe for an animal’s slaughter.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Above all, Flanagan understands how even a mother’s love can be poisoned by fear when Carrie uses her newfound powers to wrest control of the household from her mother.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of poison

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“Deprave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deprave. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of deprave

verb

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'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

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