perversely

American  

[per-vurs-lee] / pərˈvɜrs li /

adverb

1. in a willful manner that goes counter to what is expected or desired; contrarily.

   She clung perversely to beliefs and behavior that would confound her parents for years.

2. in an obstinate manner, rejecting what is right, good, or proper; wickedly or corruptly.

   They perversely persist in the practice of torture.

---

Etymology

Origin of perversely

First recorded in 1500–20; perverse ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

And David plays Lincoln’s nemesis, Stevie Nichols, the very successful former partner of Lincoln’s late mother, upon whom the son remains perversely fixated.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

Aggrievement and isolation, perversely enough, became the glue that holds the community together.

From Salon • Nov. 22, 2025

It’s actually quite problematic that some perversely rich guys meddle in our affairs in their own way.

From Slate • Nov. 19, 2025

So maybe it’s perversely apt that the Broadway revival of the musical “Chess” should feel eye-glazingly interminable, despite a cast of thrillingly good singers in top form.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

He liked the classical genetic assumption that male and female cells contribute equal amounts of genetic material, even though the resulting analysis was perversely complex.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson