perversely
Americanadverb
-
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.
-
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She’s taken, perversely, with John the Baptist, imprisoned in a cistern and prophesying doom for the decadent, Godless heathens, Salome in particular.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Leavened by dark humor, “Blood Ties” is breathtaking in conception and execution, with a perversely pastoral finale.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025
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
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
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.
