deprave

American  

[dih-preyv] / dɪˈpreɪv /

verb (used with object)

depraved, depraving

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

2. Obsolete. to defame.

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deprave British  

/ ˌdɛprəˈveɪʃən, dɪˈpreɪv /

verb

1. to make morally bad; corrupt; vitiate

2. obsolete to defame; slander

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of deprave

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

Example Sentences

By the way, the release date for the new and depraved “Animal Farm” is May 1, 2026—International Workers’ Day.

From The Wall Street Journal

We know there will be no real consequences for this depraved behavior — only continued normalization.

From Salon

The lasting lesson from the original movie is not that mobs are depraved or that TV is stupid, but that Mr. Schwarzenegger had a special gift for making otherwise terrible efforts watchable.

From The Wall Street Journal

The trial judge described him as "depraved", "arrogant" and a "bully".

From BBC

Etoria and four other individuals - from Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and Yemen - were described by the US government as "depraved monsters" when they were expelled to Eswatini in southern Africa in July.

From BBC