noun
Other Word Forms
- nondepravity noun
Etymology
Origin of depravity
Explanation
Depravity goes beyond mere bad behavior — it is a total lack of morals, values, and even regard for other living things, like the depravity of a serial killer. You can see the verb deprave in depravity. To deprave is to make something bad, often to the point of moral corruption, like the parental fear that a bad influence will deprave their good kids. So, depravity is behavior that is morally corrupt or otherwise deemed wicked. Don't confuse depravity with deprivation, meaning "being denied something that is necessary."
Vocabulary lists containing depravity
The Scarlet Letter
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave" Vocabulary from the autobiography
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even Tina Fey has joked about Fennell’s fondness for sudden depravity.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026
The film was banned in some states, and newspapers denounced its depravity.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
While depravity is omnipresent, that doesn’t mean it’s all-consuming.
From Salon • Dec. 5, 2025
That 2013 Respect at Work review looked into BBC culture in light of Jimmy Savile's depravity.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2025
Despite the depravity I see in Dauntless, though, I could not leave it.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
