Synonyms for perverse
- adjective
Most common
contrary wayward intractable petulant perverted depraved pig-headed vexatious
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Contrary — wayward; vexing; contrary
contrary, wayward, petulant, obstinate, intractable, stubborn, willful US, wilful UK, cross, churlish, untoward, disobedient, difficult, ungovernable, stiff-necked, cantankerous, surly, cranky, unyielding, unmanageable, sulky, headstrong, touchy
2. Depraved
depraved, perverted, bad, iniquitous, aberrant, distorted, naughty, corrupt, crooked, reprobate, awry, immoral, vicious, nefarious, improper
Other
pig-headed, negative, vexatious, contentious, overthwart dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Wayward; vexing; contrary.
Where this perverse sign flip occurs depends on the values of other parameters […].
- adj. 2
Turned aside while against something, splitting off from a thing.
Related words
- Word family
- perversely perverseness perversity perversive
- Is a kind of
- obstinate quarrelsome
Choose the right word
The stubborn or obstinate person will not do what another desires or requires; the perverse person will do anything contrary to what is desired or required of him. The petulant person frets, but may comply; the perverse individual may be smooth or silent, but is wilfully intractable.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- contrary They say he is guilty, but I believe the contrary.
- wayward She has a wayward streak that worries her parents.
- petulant Her petulant humor upset the attendees.
- perverted Some people think that your people are perverted.
- depraved Yanni is a depraved person with interests in minors.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| perverse | rising | |
| contrary | falling | |
| wayward | rising | |
| intractable | rising | |
| petulant | rising | |
| perverted | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- bad1
- 4 letters
- awry2
- 5 letters
- cross1, surly2, sulky
- 6 letters
- cranky2, touchy2, wilful
- 7 letters
- corrupt2, naughty2, vicious2, crooked2, immoral3, wayward2, willful2
- 8 letters
- negative3, contrary3, stubborn2, improper3, depraved2, petulant3, untoward3, aberrant3, churlish2
- 9 letters
- difficult3, distorted3, perverted3, nefarious4, obstinate3, vexatious3, reprobate3
- 10 letters
- unyielding3, headstrong2, iniquitous, overthwart
- 11 letters
- contentious3, intractable4, disobedient5
- 12 letters
- unmanageable5, ungovernable5, cantankerous4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (awry2 = 2 syllables).