perversion
Twisting from truth
Perversion is the twisting of something from its proper or natural course.
The word often describes sexual behavior considered deviant or abnormal: His perversion led to criminal charges.
More broadly, it can mean any corruption or distortion: a perversion of justice, a perversion of the truth.
The term carries strong moral judgment—what counts as perversion depends on who's defining normal.
Extreme indulgence in vices
- degeneracyMoral or physical decline
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
- viceBad habit or deputy
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
turpitude · licentiousness · decadence · dissipation · profligacy · sinfulness · iniquity · sordidness
Fixation on specific objects
- paraphiliaAtypical sexual interest disorder
- sadismPleasure from inflicting pain
- masochismPleasure derived from suffering
- sadomasochismErotic pain-giving and receiving
voyeurism · exhibitionism · kink · deviance · abnormality · aberration · transgression · taboo
False or misleading statement
- falsificationDeliberate alteration of truth
- twistingRotating with distortion
- warpingBecoming bent or twisted
- misconstructionIncorrect understanding of meaning
misinterpretation · manipulation · contortion · travesty · caricature · corruption · alteration · deformation
Error in reasoning
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
- misapplicationIncorrect or improper usage
- misuseImproper application
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- graftIllicit political gain
- malfeasanceUnlawful act by officeholder
venality · extortion · kickback · nepotism · cronyism · misconduct · exploitation · racketeering
debauchery
Extreme indulgence in vices
- degeneracyMoral or physical decline
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
- viceBad habit or deputy
wickedness · turpitude · licentiousness · decadence · dissipation · profligacy · sinfulness · iniquity · sordidness · vileness
fetishism
Fixation on specific objects
- paraphiliaAtypical sexual interest disorder
- sadismPleasure from inflicting pain
- masochismPleasure derived from suffering
sadomasochism · voyeurism · exhibitionism · kink · deviance · abnormality · aberration · transgression · taboo · pathology
misrepresentation
False or misleading statement
- falsificationDeliberate alteration of truth
- twistingRotating with distortion
- warpingBecoming bent or twisted
misconstruction · misinterpretation · manipulation · contortion · travesty · caricature · corruption · alteration · deformation · mangling
fallacy
Error in reasoning
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
- misapplicationIncorrect or improper usage
misuse · abuse · illogic · rationalization · equivocation
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- graftIllicit political gain
malfeasance · venality · extortion · kickback · nepotism · cronyism · misconduct · exploitation · racketeering · profiteering
- deviancedeviance, aberration, abnormality, transgression, misconduct
- immoralityvice, wickedness, depravity, sinfulness, iniquity
- vicevice, debauchery, prostitution, depravity, immorality
- misuseabuse, overuse, waste, squandering, exploitation
- psychosexualitylibido, sexuality, sexual orientation, heterosexuality, homosexuality
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
perversionvirtue
Moral goodness or merit
purity · righteousness · decency · wholesomeness · morality
perversionfidelity
Loyalty or exactness
accuracy · faithfulness · truth · integrity · authenticity
perversionutilization
Practical application of something
employment · application · use