depraved

adjective

de·​praved di-ˈprāvd How to pronounce depraved (audio)
Synonyms of depraved
: marked by corruption or evil
a depraved attack
especially : having or showing an evil and immoral character
a depraved criminal
the work of depraved minds
depravedly
di-ˈprā-vəd-lē How to pronounce depraved (audio)
-ˈprāvd-lē
adverb
depravedness
di-ˈprā-vəd-nəs How to pronounce depraved (audio)
-ˈprāvd-nəs
noun

Synonyms of depraved

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Examples of depraved in a Sentence

the work of depraved minds He acted with depraved indifference to human suffering.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jacobs collapses the distance between the nation’s lofty ideals and its depraved slave regime. — Brian Delay, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 But that doesn’t mean that artificially sugared sodas, retail consumption, or social media are depraved, worthless activities akin to the cardinal sin of sloth or the tragic spiral of heroin addiction. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for depraved

Word History

Etymology

see deprave

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depraved was in the 14th century

Rhymes for depraved

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Browse Nearby Words

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depraved
depraved appetite
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Cite this Entry

“Depraved.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depraved. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Legal Definition

depraved

adjective
de·​praved di-ˈprāvd How to pronounce depraved (audio)
: marked by moral corruption or perversion as shown by a capacity for extreme and wanton physical cruelty
the depraved state of mind of the murderer
the depraved nature of the crime

More from Merriam-Webster on depraved

Nglish: Translation of depraved for Spanish Speakers

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