as in sacrilege
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
in the 17th century the Quakers were persecuted for beliefs and practices that older churches regarded as blasphemies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of blasphemy
Because of these and other views, she was persecuted and imprisoned several times for blasphemy in England.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Some of the Friend’s followers—men, it must be said—turned on the group, stirring up land disputes and forcibly delivering the Friend a warrant for blasphemy.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
While in prison for blasphemy, Lee had a risqué vision of Adam and Eve, and concluded that celibacy was the cure for worldly temptation.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Pakistan weaponizes blasphemy laws and bombs Advent services.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blasphemy
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Some of the Friend’s followers—men, it must be said—turned on the group, stirring up land disputes and forcibly delivering the Friend a warrant for blasphemy.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
While in prison for blasphemy, Lee had a risqué vision of Adam and Eve, and concluded that celibacy was the cure for worldly temptation.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Pakistan weaponizes blasphemy laws and bombs Advent services.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blasphemy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blasphemy
Noun
-
That might sound like sacrilege, because the NFL is beyond criticism for many sports fans, but the draft is the ideal example of what the league has become and the importance of gambling to modern audiences.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Religious and political leaders from around the world condemned the image, some calling it a sacrilege.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gerlach is facing nearly 500 charges — including burglary, abuse of a corpse and desecration of monuments — tied to a disturbing investigation at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Philadelphia, the outlet reported.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Against desecration of our flag bill 4.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Both Israel and Hezbollah have traded accusations of ceasefire violations, with a Lebanese journalist, Amal Khalil, killed in an Israeli airstrike just yesterday.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Giveaway or website, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The event, organized by the Shelby County Republican Party, turned out a small crowd and was greeted by some supportive honks from motorists, but also some cursing at Trump from people in at least two cars passing by.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Premium cable, with its grit and cursing and nudity, is not the natural habitat of an actor who thrives on the chuckles of studio audiences.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even aside from Trump’s own enthusiastic personal immorality and impiety, his political style — the pugnacious smear artist and demagogic braggart — was the antithesis of what evangelicals had sought before.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 Sep. 2025
-
By one hand, he is bound to himself, to his impiety, his recklessness, his envy and pride, his guilt and spite.—
Merve Emre,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Years later, drawn into a covert network of operatives and manipulated through a web of corruption, Clay must decide whether to become the weapon he was shaped to be or dismantle the system from within.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
He was also charged in another foreign corruption case in the same court in late 2024.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Scottish hen parties were deemed to contain ritualistic profanation.—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
-
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; ’Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.—
John Edgar Wideman,
The New Yorker,
8 July 2021
Noun
-
The dining rooms lean hard into an ’80s-meets-diner aesthetic with neon accents, colorful murals, throwback playlists and a playful irreverence that matches its menu.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This interest in but irreverence about boundaries—those between artistic disciplines, social strata, national borders—is characteristic of Gates’s work.—
Asad Syrkett,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blasphemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blasphemy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
