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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perverse contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perverse are balky, contrary, restive, and wayward. While all these words mean "inclined to resist authority or control," perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal.

a perverse, intractable critic

When can balky be used instead of perverse?

Although the words balky and perverse have much in common, balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action.

a balky witness

When is it sensible to use contrary instead of perverse?

In some situations, the words contrary and perverse are roughly equivalent. However, contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice.

a contrary child

Where would restive be a reasonable alternative to perverse?

The words restive and perverse can be used in similar contexts, but restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders.

tired soldiers growing restive

When would wayward be a good substitute for perverse?

The synonyms wayward and perverse are sometimes interchangeable, but wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior.

a school for wayward youths

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 perverse What follows is a perverse folie à deux between Cristina/The Snow Queen and Jeanne/Bianca, whose relationship borders on erotic but hovers closer somewhere to a mentorship, at first, once Cristina starts taking Jeanne under her wing, and Jeanne upstages another one of the young extras on set. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2025 And the perverse reality is that the people who are the most passionate are most likely to wage war with this setup. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025 The idea that Brian Thompson is our exploiter is perverse. Onkar Ghate, Orange County Register, 22 Jan. 2025 This perverse incentive structure has contributed to the proliferation of meme coins, which now represent a significant portion of the cryptocurrency market cap. Boaz Sobrado, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perverse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perverse
Adjective
  • Cold exposure is particularly helpful for those who have irritable skin through the constriction of blood vessels, alleviating swelling and flushes.
    Lucy Notarantonio, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The elderly single mom, played with an irritable, bone-deep bitterness by Irish actor Fiona Shaw, has spent the past few years paralyzed by an illness no one can diagnose.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The scene in which Anderson single-handedly faces down both the corrupt deputy and the Klan’s most murderous henchman is a master class in range.
    Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Schwarz sees the blackout as a way for Americans to use their economic might in the form of their purchasing power to fight corporate greed and corrupt politicians.
    Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Still facing a stubborn staffing crunch, the New York City Department of Correction will require officers to work mandatory 12-hour tours in a number of city jails, a move immediately criticized by their union.
    Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Fiscal and monetary policy are walking a tightrope between weak real growth and stubborn inflation.
    William Pesek, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • While booting a car may be an appropriate remedy to curb parking violations, booting a car that also immobilizes other non-offending vehicles is inappropriate.
    Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Doing so discourages inappropriate behavior with clear sanctions that are duly communicated to the entire organization, while good behavior is rewarded.
    Susana Sierra, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And a Delta plane flipped upside down in a fiery crash landing at a Toronto airport, injuring 21 people.
    Melissa Chan, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Watch Stewart’s fiery takedown of Musk’s DOGE in its entirety below.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Tragically, the Chesapeake remains significantly degraded and its overall water quality has improved only marginally after 41 years.
    Gerald Winegrad, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Against the backdrop of a degraded web, the improbable success of a volunteer-run website attempting to gather all the world’s knowledge is something to celebrate, not destroy.
    Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Hamilton was adamant Ferrari had all the ingredients to win the world championship for the first time since 2008.
    Luke Smith, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • But both brown and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson – a marine biologist and policy expert – are adamant that modeling climate activism in popular culture need not be all about just ringing warning bells.
    Dan Heching, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • After reviewing body camera footage of the incident as part of its internal investigation, the department recommended that the officer receive a two-day suspension for the improper search allegation.
    Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Like the House bill, its text has not yet been released. DEA hearings on the rescheduling proposal have been delayed by at least three months due to appeals from pro-reform witnesses claiming improper communications between the DEA and certain opponents.
    Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perverse. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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