desecrate

verb

des·​e·​crate ˈde-si-ˌkrāt 

desecrated; desecrating

transitive verb

1

: to violate the sanctity of : profane

desecrate a shrine

a cemetery desecrated by vandals

2

: to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously

… the kind of shore development … that has desecrated so many waterfronts …

—John Fischer

desecrater noun

or desecrator

ˈde-si-ˌkrā-tər 

Synonyms of desecrate

• violate

Examples 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

Defendants found responsible for desecrating burial sites can face fines of $10,000 per offense. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026

Javien Wright, the man whose grave was desecrated, was, with a gun by his side, shot to death outside a house in the 1500 block of East Mulkey Street in February 2020. —Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026

More synagogues in Canada in the past 28 months have been desecrated, burned, shot at, or threatened with bombings than in any other country. —Jesse Brown, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026

And a coke-snorting, heirloom-desecrating, funeral-crashing adversary at that. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

de- + -secrate (as in consecrate)

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for desecrate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

desecrate

verb

des·​e·​crate ˈdes-i-ˌkrāt 

desecrated; desecrating

: to treat a sacred place or sacred object shamefully or with great disrespect

desecrater noun

or desecrator

-ˌkrāt-ər 

desecration

ˌdes-i-ˈkrā-shən

noun