perversion
n.the act of using something in a way that is wrong or harmful. It can also describe a person who behaves in a way that is considered very immoral.
n.the misuse or distortion of something for an improper or harmful purpose. In a psychological context, it refers to a sexual preference or behavior considered deviant by societal standards.
“The perversion of the law led to a lot of unfair arrests.”
“The committee investigated the perversion of public funds by the former director.”
“The novel explores the psychological perversion of a man who, in his quest for power, begins to see his enemies as mere obstacles to be destroyed.”
From Latin perversio, from pervertere (“corrupt”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.