perversity

American  

[per-vur-si-tee] / pərˈvɜr sɪ ti /

noun

plural

perversities

1. a willful tendency or determination to go counter to what is expected or desired, sometimes for no apparent reason; contrariness.

   On Thanksgiving, out of sheer perversity, he brought up a topic that was almost taboo for his family.

2. the quality of being, or having an effect, exactly contrary to what is expected or desired.

   The administration was slow to acknowledge the perversity of their welfare reform, which has given the underemployed an incentive to become unemployed.

3. persistence or obstinacy in what is wrong.

   She again rejected her parents' advice with self-defeating perversity.

4. a turning away from or rejection of thoughts and deeds one knows are right, good, or proper; wickedness or corruption.

   The preacher lamented the perversity of mankind that began in the Garden of Eden.

5. an instance of willful contrariety, obstinacy, or wickedness, or an outcome directly opposite to one’s intentions or expectations.

   One of the perversities of the system is that the worse one’s crime in one’s home country, the more likely one is to gain asylum.

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perversity British  

/ pəˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality or state of being perverse

2. a perverse action, comment, etc

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Other Word Forms

• nonperversity noun

Etymology

Origin of perversity

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English, from Old French perversité, from Latin perversitāt-, stem of perversitās “wrongheadedness, unreasonableness”; perverse, -ity

Example Sentences

A perversity in the script is that Frank is a manipulator and a gaslighter but overall a pretty good dude.

From Los Angeles Times

His shrieking reactions to his wife’s savagery throw into relief his good nature and her perversity.

From Los Angeles Times

In written submissions, Christopher Newman, representing Lowe, said the "substantive claim to judicial review alleges procedural unfairness in the processes of ICGS, as well as perversity and illegality".

From BBC

The British Chamber of Commerce's president, Andy Haldane, told the BBC: "The perversity of what happened of the weekend was that those who got good deals, the allies, have been most disadvantaged."

From BBC

“He spoke so fast that the amazing perversity of his arguments escaped undetected; what remains of them is a monument of ingenuity and insolence.”

From The Wall Street Journal