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
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Recent Examples of desecration
Jury reaches verdict In April 2007, a Middlesex County jury convicted McGuire of first-degree murder, desecration of a corpse, perjury, and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
—
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Leonard was also charged in Linn County with interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large, according to a news release from Kansas City, Kansas, police.
—Kendrick Calfee
updated January 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
The government called for a nationwide march on Monday in support of the regime and in opposition to what authorities described as recent acts of desecration and insults against Islamic symbols, including the Quran, by protesters.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
He was charged with dozens more counts of criminal mischief, burglary, intentional desecration of a venerated object and other crimes.
—Emma Caughlan, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desecration
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Leonard was also charged in Linn County with interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large, according to a news release from Kansas City, Kansas, police.
—Kendrick Calfee
updated January 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
The government called for a nationwide march on Monday in support of the regime and in opposition to what authorities described as recent acts of desecration and insults against Islamic symbols, including the Quran, by protesters.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
He was charged with dozens more counts of criminal mischief, burglary, intentional desecration of a venerated object and other crimes.
—Emma Caughlan, NBC news, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desecration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desecration
Noun
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Another 24 teens were cited for curfew violations, police said.—
Lauren Victory,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Origen was not allowed to open after an eighth visit on March 21 found three violations (one high-priority), or after a ninth inspection on March 24 found three violations (one high-priority) and a 10th visit also found three violations (one high-priority) on March 25.—
Kari Barnett,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Another young man, Mashal Khan, a university student and poet, was lynched by a mob of fellow students who accused him of blasphemy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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As depicted in the movie, Lee was arrested multiple times for blasphemy and disturbing the peace.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At issue was Sheikh Dibo’s description of the prayer that locals tend to say when visiting a grave; to the ISIS member, such prayers were sacrilege.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
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That’s the ultimate Hollywood sacrilege.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fox News Digital sat down with Riverside County Sheriff and GOP gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco, who told Fox that the questionable partnership with the Chinese school is an example of corruption and fraud that exists across California.—
Preston Mizell,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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Carbone, now an adjunct professor at Pace University, spent 30 years with the DOJ focusing on white collar, public corruption and tax cases.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Scottish hen parties were deemed to contain ritualistic profanation.—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
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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
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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
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And as Siniaková showed emotion of her own in the joy of vanquishing such a favorite, Andreeva started her walk out of the stadium that would end in cursing and acrimony.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
Noun
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Cyrus said, with the two characters throwing insults at each other constantly.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
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Droves of supporters commended a thoughtful gesture that, elsewhere on the internet, went over like an insult.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desecration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecration. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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