perversely

[ per-vurs-lee ]

adverb

1. 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.

2. in an obstinate manner, rejecting what is right, good, or proper; wickedly or corruptly:

   They perversely persist in the practice of torture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of perversely¹

First recorded in 1500–20; perverse ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

The Telegraph awarded five stars, with Neil McCormick describing it as "perversely uplifting in its nihilism and the best thing since their debut".

From BBC

“AIDS Is God’s Punishment” is the 11 o’clock number of the gospel show Usher perversely imagines he would write if, caving into pressure, he hopped on the Tyler Perry bandwagon.

From Los Angeles Times

McPherson seems almost perversely determined to stay miles ahead of his audience.

From Los Angeles Times

In an even more perversely glib parody, Leno recast the murder trial as a sitcom using the theme song from “Gilligan’s Island” and portraying Simpson as the lovable title character.

From New York Times

At first glance, “snowing” the goalie appears perversely satisfying — what anyone might do if they were capable of skating at high speeds.

From Seattle Times