deprave

[dih-preyv]

verb (used with object)

depraved, depraving 

1. to make morally bad or evil; vitiate; corrupt.

2. Obsolete.,  to defame.

deprave

/ ˌdɛprəˈveɪʃən, dɪˈpreɪv /

verb

1. to make morally bad; corrupt; vitiate

2. obsolete,  to defame; slander

Other Word Forms

• depravation noun
• depraver noun
• depravingly adverb
• nondepravation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of deprave¹

1325–75; Middle English depraven (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dēprāvāre to pervert, corrupt, equivalent to dē- de- + prāv ( us ) crooked + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of deprave¹

C14: from Latin dēprāvāre to distort, corrupt, from _de- + prāvus crooked

Example Sentences

In a series of posts on the X social media platform, McLaughlin listed the crimes the five deported to Eswatini had been convicted of, describing them as "depraved monsters" who had been "terrorizing American communities".

From BBC

They were predictably said to be kidnapping and trafficking vast numbers of children to feed their depraved appetites.

From Salon

Police described the attack as "barbaric and depraved" and said "the level of violence inflicted is shocking".

From BBC

Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on X describing him as a “depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country.”

From Los Angeles Times

“To intentionally create a situation where that could have been the outcome, it’s depraved and mind-blowing,” Willis said.

From Los Angeles Times