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

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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 Cutting down a tree is this ultimate symbol of the desecration of the environment, but that wasn’t always the case. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 In January 2021, following the discovery of Talina’s remains in Polk County, Arkansas, Bommeli was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and desecration of a human corpse. — Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026 When Debbie, Susan, and Thom come over for a double-date pizza night, only Bret is concerned about the spate of recent home invasions, the missing pets, and the desecration of the griffin mascot. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026 Makoto, who has deployed the hinomaru in works commenting on Japan’s society and history, took issue with the idea that desecration of the flag is unpatriotic. — News Desk, Artforum, 17 July 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
  • The Lakers, playing with Sexton as their primary ballhandler during the stretch, had four turnovers during the drought, including a shot clock violation after a timeout.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The building didn’t just fall into disrepair but was legally condemned by the town of Branford due to fire safety and other code violations.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Shock and anger greeted the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to uphold the conviction and death sentence of a Christian man accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.
    — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Or a plot to divert attention from Murphy’s blasphemy of her famously lucky number 13?
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of blasphemy
Noun
  • Advertisement To the Eagle Family, these scenes were sacrilege.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • While this might seem like capitalist sacrilege, Gearin says there’s historical precedent for Indigenous peoples using plant medicine as a tool to navigate the practical demands of the world.
    — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacrilege
Noun
  • Johannesburg’s mayoral race reveals a city frustrated by years of corruption and crumbling infrastructure – and a country at a crossroad.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Those interests include concerns about affordability, the Iran war and corruption.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 5 Nov. 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
  • Seeman was caught on camera cursing at McBride during the Cardinals’ loss at the New York Giants.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Paxton had argued that the law-school clinic was not a classroom but a workplace, and that Fisher was punished not for expressing political views but because her cursing and volume had disrupted clinic business.
    — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 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
  • Despite his notoriously fiery TV persona, the Gordon Ramsay meal kit doesn’t include any pre-packaged insults or threats to shut your kitchen down — just easy-to-follow recipe cards.
    — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Gillies was surprised to learn in researching the docu that the programmers came up with a rating system for calculating the relative weight of insults.
    — Will Tizard, Variety, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of insult

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Cite this Entry

“Desecration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecration. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on desecration

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about desecration

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