profound

adjective

pro·found | \ prə-ˈfau̇nd

, prō-\

Definition of profound

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : having intellectual depth and insight

b : difficult to fathom or understand

2a : extending far below the surface

b : coming from, reaching to, or situated at a depth : deep-seated a profound sigh

3a : characterized by intensity of feeling or quality

b : all encompassing : complete profound sleep profound deafness

profound

noun

pro·found | \ prə-ˈfau̇nd

, prō-\

Definition of profound (Entry 2 of 2)

archaic

: something that is very deep specifically : the depths of the sea

Other Words from profound Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about profound

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Other Words from profound

Adjective

profoundly \ prə-ˈfau̇n(d)-lē

, prō- \ adverb

profoundness \ prə-ˈfau̇n(d)-nəs

, prō- \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for profound

Synonyms: Adjective

abstruse, arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic (also hermetical), recondite

Antonyms: Adjective

shallow, superficial

Examples of profound in a Sentence

Adjective

Here, for the first time, a journalist gains access to the archive of one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. Its contents, as much literature as science, offer profound insight into the human condition—and into the brilliant, complex mind of the study's longtime director, George Vaillant. — Joshua Wolf Shenk, Atlantic, June 2009 This isn't escapism, or denial of grief; it is acceptance of the facts of life, the map of profound relationship to the grief that is part of life … — Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005 The status of women, though probably the most profound single difference between the two civilizations, attracted far less attention than such matters as guns, factories and parliaments. — Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong?, 2002 Despite all the respect, it was hard not to feel a twinge of schadenfreude at O'Hara's fall from esteem, which had caused him profound bitterness. — Kingsley Amis, Memoirs, 1991 His knowledge of history is profound. Her books offer profound insights into the true nature of courage. the profound mysteries of outer space a profound sense of loss His paintings have had a profound effect on her own work.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Until now the chief characteristic of both the European Parliament and the elections that select its members has been profound boringness. — Joseph C. Sternberg, WSJ, "Saving Europe by Destroying It From Within," 14 Feb. 2019 To quote the profound wisdom of Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford: Go ahead, treat yourself. — Lindsay Schallon, Glamour, "To Me, From Me: Stories That Celebrate a Little Self-Indulgence," 7 Jan. 2019 Jeff Dunn Favorite: Sony WH-1000XM3 There's nothing profound to say about the Sony WH-1000XM3—they're just noise-cancelling headphones that are really good at being noise-cancelling headphones. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Our favorite (and least favorite) tech of 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 And this has profound potential ramifications for even just the fundamental civil liberties on which democratic societies rely. — Kurt Wagner, Recode, "Microsoft’s president says we need to regulate facial recognition tech before ‘the year 2024 looks like the book “1984”’," 7 Nov. 2018 There is profound risk of making criminals’ jobs easier, not harder. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Apple argues stronger encryption will thwart criminals in letter to Australian government," 12 Oct. 2018 There is such profound love and respect between the two of them. — Megan Friedman, House Beautiful, "Jonathan Scott Says He's Turned Down Starring On The Bachelor Three Times," 11 Sep. 2018 On the cusp of President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin, Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, released indictments with profound implications for relations between the two countries. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "New indictments complicate the Trump-Russia relationship.," 13 July 2018 More than any other infrastructure, search engines reshape the web in profound and often invisible ways. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "The long, tortured quest to make Google unbiased," 6 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'profound.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.