What does depraved mean?
"Depraved" is an adjective describing someone or something that has become morally corrupt — wicked in a way that goes beyond ordinary wrongdoing. A depraved person does not merely make mistakes; their character or desires are thought to be fundamentally twisted, taking pleasure in cruelty, degradation, or vice. The word is formal in register and strongly condemnatory, which is why it appears most often in serious contexts: courtroom descriptions of heinous crimes, literary portrayals of villains, and moral or religious commentary on the decline of standards. It commonly pairs with nouns like "mind," "acts," "appetites," or "indifference." Its near-homophone "deprived," meaning denied basic necessities, is a frequent source of confusion despite carrying no moral judgment at all. Rooted in Latin via Old French, "depraved" literally means "thoroughly crooked" or "warped away" from the straight path of virtue, a metaphor that still gives the word its force today.
adjectiveMorally corrupt or perverted; having departed from what is considered good, right, or decent.
- (of a person or their actions) Morally corrupt; marked by wickedness or perversion from accepted standards of right and wrong.
"The novel portrays a tyrant whose depraved cruelty shocks even his closest advisers."
"The court heard details of the defendant's depraved treatment of his victims."
"Critics dismissed the film as appealing to depraved tastes rather than genuine artistry."
Swap one letter and "depraved" becomes "deprived" — the difference between being robbed of goodness and being robbed of bread.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of depraved
"Depraved" comes from the Latin verb "depravare," formed from "de-" (indicating removal or intensification) and "pravus" (crooked, warped), so its literal sense is "to make thoroughly crooked." The word passed into English through Old French "depraver" and has been attested since the late Middle English period, with its modern adjectival form well established by early modern English. It shares its Latin root with "depravity" and "depravation," while "pravus" itself lies behind rarer English words such as "pravity."
Related word forms
How depraved is actually used
Formal to literary in register; carries strong moral condemnation and is more intense than words like "bad" or "immoral." Often used of crimes, appetites, characters, or societies judged to have sunk below ordinary moral standards.
Easily confused with depraved
"Deprived" means lacking something necessary or desirable (as in a deprived childhood), while "depraved" means morally corrupted — the two differ by only one letter but are nearly opposite in sense.