desecration

noun

des·​e·​cra·​tion ˌde-si-ˈkrā-shən How to pronounce desecration (audio)
: an act or instance of desecrating : the state of being desecrated

Examples of desecration in a Sentence

the communicants were aghast at the desecration of the altar
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its desecration has sparked international outcry and raised concerns about security at major religious sites. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 According to the Ceremonial of Bishops, such rites – often a Mass or a Liturgy of the Word – should take place as soon as possible following a desecration. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025 The idea that Watkins was an enabler of Gein’s murders and subsequent desecrations could be read merely as a part of the show’s aggressive and admitted mingling of fiction and reality. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025 His wife Sherrie Parker, 41, and their son, Deshawn Thomas, 22, are charged with desecration of human remains and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, according to officials. Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for desecration

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1717, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of desecration was circa 1717

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Cite this Entry

“Desecration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desecration. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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