desecration

noun

ˌde-si-ˈkrā-shən How to pronounce desecration (audio)
Definition of desecrationnext
as in violation
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things the communicants were aghast at the desecration of the altar

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 desecration The Tesla’s desecration follows a vandalism spree in Queens that saw religious centers, homes and vehicles defiled with swastikas and antisemitic slogans last month. — Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 26 June 2026 However, the Supreme Court in several cases has struck down any improper use or desecration of the flag on the grounds of free speech, according to the Library of Congress’ most frequently asked questions about flag law. — Darleene Powells, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026 He was charged in Linn County, Kansas with interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration and having a vicious dog at large. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026 Some scientists worry that extracting resources from the moon could jeopardize research, while many Indigenous nations see the moon as sacred and are against any desecration. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for desecration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desecration
  1. violation
  2. blasphemy
  3. sacrilege
  4. corruption
  5. profanation
  6. cursing
  7. defilement
  8. insult
Noun
  • Under Arkansas law, anyone selling alcohol on a Sunday without a permit can be found guilty of a violation fined up to $250.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Both men were denied parole last year, in part because of their use of contraband cellphones and other violations of prison rules.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • That might have sounded like blasphemy just half a decade ago, but college football is always evolving, and Swinney is a man stuck in time.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Politicians and preachers denounced them for blasphemy, perversion, and their loud support for civil rights.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of blasphemy
Noun
  • To refer to the Manhattanite rock quintet as third best in any context feels like music sacrilege.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Filming a talk show on a moving train brings its own set of audio and visual problems, but making this show any other way would be sacrilege.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of sacrilege
Noun
  • At the center of the story is Rashid, a prison guard who has been suspended from his job after being accused of corruption.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Described as a combination of Filipino genre cinema with American indie grit, the film explores themes including class, power and corruption.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of corruption
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
Definition of profanation
Noun
  • Hoodoo was not only considered a means of assisting people; it has also been associated with hexing or cursing and, in the 18th and 19th centuries, with poisoning.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Danhausen transcended into the mainstream zeitgeist after cursing and un-cursing the New York Knicks en route to the team winning the NBA Championship after a 52-year drought.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of cursing
Noun
  • In this way, Lapid keeps the emotional aspect of Y’s self-defilement at the forefront of the drama.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of defilement
Noun
  • Not only did the boycott fail to keep the company from slapping its Black customers in the face with its Jim Crow costume, but the insult happened with two Black men on the company’s board of directors.
    — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • This much was clear from the insults continually traded between the two sets of fans.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of insult

Browse Nearby Words

desecrating
desecration
desecrations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desecration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecration. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on desecration

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about desecration

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All