desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈde-si-ˌkrāt 
desecrated; desecrating
2
: to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously
… the kind of shore development … that has desecrated so many waterfronts …—
John Fischer
John FischerExamples of desecrate in a Sentence
The vandals were accused of desecrating graves.
vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti
Recent Examples on the Web
After unknowingly desecrating a sacred burial ground, 17-year-old Dashon Wallace (McLaughlin) and his family become targets of the Mbirwi, an ancient spirit summoned to protect the local community from the invasion of foreigners.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country
But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.
—Kevin Sack, Time, 3 June 2025
But the real violence — and the reason audiences presumably pay to see these IP parasites — is what’s done to the characters themselves, as there’s an illicit thrill in desecrating powerful brands, like Disney.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
And the Germans entered forcibly, violating all that, desecrating it with their presence.
—Ann Goldstein, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
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Peter White, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country
But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.
—Kevin Sack, Time, 3 June 2025
But the real violence — and the reason audiences presumably pay to see these IP parasites — is what’s done to the characters themselves, as there’s an illicit thrill in desecrating powerful brands, like Disney.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
And the Germans entered forcibly, violating all that, desecrating it with their presence.
—Ann Goldstein, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Cite this Entry
“Desecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desecrate. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈdes-i-ˌkrāt
desecrated; desecrating
: to treat a sacred place or sacred object shamefully or with great disrespect
desecration
noun
ˌdes-i-ˈkrā-shən
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