depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈpra-və-tē 
also -ˈprā-
plural depravities
1
: a corrupt act or practice
the depravities of war
2
: the quality or state of being corrupt, evil, or perverted : the quality or state of being depraved
He is awed by its fabulous wealth but deeply troubled by what he sees as its moral depravity …—
Nicholas D. Kristof
Nicholas D. KristofExamples of depravity in a Sentence
He was sinking into a life of utter depravity.
People were shocked by the depravity of her actions.
Recent Examples on the Web
The setting is a place of deep, almost painful beauty that will bear witness to the unspeakable horrors of humanity, writ large by a group of once-innocent boys who are stand-ins for the depravity of the rest of us.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Those orcas were well within their rights to take their revenge, carrying out Mother Nature’s punishment against humanity for its rapacious depravity.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Her paintings preserve a child’s unguarded but uncomprehending view of depravity.
—Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Taken together, this network continues to expose the depravity of what these women endured, and to demand accountability from a society that has closed its eyes to the horrors for far too long.
—Pramila Jayapal, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for depravity
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Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Those orcas were well within their rights to take their revenge, carrying out Mother Nature’s punishment against humanity for its rapacious depravity.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Her paintings preserve a child’s unguarded but uncomprehending view of depravity.
—Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Taken together, this network continues to expose the depravity of what these women endured, and to demand accountability from a society that has closed its eyes to the horrors for far too long.
—Pramila Jayapal, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for depravity
Cite this Entry
“Depravity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depravity. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈprav-ət-ē
plural depravities
1
: a corrupt act or practice
2
: the quality or state of being depraved
Legal Definition
depravity
noun
de·prav·i·ty
di-ˈpra-və-tē
plural depravities
1
: the quality or state of being depraved
2
: a corrupt act or practice
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