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 next

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 The company goes on to say the infringing product depraves Levi’s its rights to use and control its trademark and maintain its reputation with consumers, licensees and collaborators and allows others to believe the distinctive features of the Tab trademark may be misappropriated for their use. —

Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 3 Jan. 2025 All writings, unpalatable for one section of the society, cannot be labeled as obscene, vulgar, depraving, prurient and immoral. . . . —

Amitava Kumar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2019 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 This series follows the trails of their obsession, and takes a deep dive into the killers’ depraved psyches to reveal their darkest secrets as investigators close in to end the killer’s reign of terror. —

Michael O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 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 Glorifying any murderer is sickening. Mocking is depraved. —

Ed O’Loughlin, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2018 As depraved a forum as Twitter can be at times, one of its redeeming characteristics is its users' penchant for outing liars in real time. —

Matthew Martinez, star-telegram, 18 Feb. 2018 The collusion of Breitbart and Fox News, of the governor of Kentucky and of all three Republican Senate candidates in Alabama, is depraved. —

Yascha Mounk, Slate Magazine, 17 Aug. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deprave

Verb

Moreover, much of the Republican Party now embraces the idea that America’s institutions—from the federal bureaucracy and public schools to the media and private universities—have been corrupted by left-wing ideologies.

— STEVEN LEVITSKY, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025
Putin believes in authoritarianism, in a strong Russian state, in the rehabilitation of the country’s Soviet past, and in a Russian civilization that is superior to a West corrupted by secularism and individualism.

— Rich Lowry, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025