1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a profound silence fell over the audience after the last note had sounded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
a profound observation about good and evil that few listeners fully grasped
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3
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
a profound dislike of frauds and phonies
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4
as in deep
extending far downward
with eyes wide with disbelief, the explorers made their way through a canyon more profound than any they had ever imagined
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of profound
And since this is a super new moon, the moon’s perigee to Earth has a profound effect on our emotions.
—
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026
Aside from being immensely entertaining, the film also has something profound to say about the world today.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Freshman shortstop Dallas Bowen’s impact for Hanover Central has been prompt and profound.
—Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
Coleman’s harmolodic theory — in which melody, harmony and rhythm are each treated as equal components to be performed simultaneously by each instrumentalist in a group — had a profound effect on Ulmer.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for profound
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026
Aside from being immensely entertaining, the film also has something profound to say about the world today.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Freshman shortstop Dallas Bowen’s impact for Hanover Central has been prompt and profound.
—Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
Coleman’s harmolodic theory — in which melody, harmony and rhythm are each treated as equal components to be performed simultaneously by each instrumentalist in a group — had a profound effect on Ulmer.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for profound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profound
Adjective
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Thanks to more than 200 years of intense and virtuoso scientific work, what were once valid or at least plausible concerns and objections to vaccines have been overcome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Whether Tuchel will, in fact, be able to produce a more intense high-pressing style this summer, given the climate and the dense schedule, is another matter.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Such a fracture would normally sink a band, especially one that had been active for a decade, with five ambitious, esoteric albums to their credit and a solid, but perhaps not growing, fan base.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
12 June 2026
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Sounds kind of esoteric, but actually a lot of fundamental discoveries were made from that system that ended up relating to things like how human chromosomes go awry and give rise to cancer.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
A’ja Wilson is a picture of sheer joy and utter domination.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Use sheer curtains to filter the light if needed.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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Chicagoans have a deep reverence for the thick, unique pizza style, and Cornell and Stevenson said visitors from the Windy City have claimed Zelda’s is the most authentic version of the pie in California.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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These data centers would leverage the cold temperatures of space to remove the need for energy-intensive cooling systems on Earth.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Dec. 2025
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After an intensive chemical treatment program, Drews said, the area now has 70 percent less of the invasive vine.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, on January 21.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
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Families are supposed to be places where people share values and offer one another unconditional love.—
Dan Rene,
Boston Herald,
25 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Publishers must also navigate changing consumer behavior, rising shipping costs and a fierce attention economy.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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The backlash was so fierce, Anthropic quickly made adjustments to the policy, as Wired reported on Wednesday, highlighting just how carefully the company is treading.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Trump has opened our eyes to the consequences of extreme greed, corruption, cruelty, and utter disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
9 June 2026
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Tharmarajah provides a great balance of comic relief and utter poignance, explaining his survival techniques as an orphan, carving out a pragmatic path in life leading to a particular kind of soaring.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Profound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profound. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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