depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈpra-və-tē 
also -ˈprā-
plural depravities
1
: a corrupt act or practice
the depravities of war
2
: the quality or state of being corrupt, evil, or perverted : the quality or state of being depraved
He is awed by its fabulous wealth but deeply troubled by what he sees as its moral depravity …—
Nicholas D. Kristof
Nicholas D. KristofSynonyms
Examples of depravity in a Sentence
He was sinking into a life of utter depravity.
People were shocked by the depravity of her actions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Each segment sinks into depravity: First, Jesse Plemons, an obsequious employee, obeys his boss Willem Dafoe’s orders to kill.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 June 2024
Los Angeles is a wicked, dangerous city, where treasonous depravity lurks behind every pride flag, pupusaria and EV charging station, according to MAGA pundits.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
That can sometimes be a problem, too, because Immaculate is … well, a little too immaculate to really embrace full-on giallo savagery, or gonzo Ken Russell–esque depravity, or even winking Verhoevian camp.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
For decades, his despotism and depravity was limited to the long-suffering Russian people.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for depravity 
Armond White, National Review, 21 June 2024
Los Angeles is a wicked, dangerous city, where treasonous depravity lurks behind every pride flag, pupusaria and EV charging station, according to MAGA pundits.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
That can sometimes be a problem, too, because Immaculate is … well, a little too immaculate to really embrace full-on giallo savagery, or gonzo Ken Russell–esque depravity, or even winking Verhoevian camp.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
For decades, his despotism and depravity was limited to the long-suffering Russian people.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for depravity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depravity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Depravity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depravity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈprav-ət-ē
plural depravities
1
: a corrupt act or practice
2
: the quality or state of being depraved
Legal Definition
depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈpra-və-tē
plural depravities
1
: the quality or state of being depraved
2
: a corrupt act or practice
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