as in blasphemy
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the unspeakable impiety of spitting in a church
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Recent Examples of impiety
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
Clouzot supplied that insight in strong visual terms: Fresnay’s conflicting impiety and righteous anger and so much dissatisfaction and panic among the townsfolk.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024
If Socrates were still around (Letters, Nov. 3), he wouldn’t be canceled for impiety and corrupting the youth.
—Stephen Borkowski, WSJ, 7 Nov. 2023
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
Clouzot supplied that insight in strong visual terms: Fresnay’s conflicting impiety and righteous anger and so much dissatisfaction and panic among the townsfolk.
—Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024
If Socrates were still around (Letters, Nov. 3), he wouldn’t be canceled for impiety and corrupting the youth.
—Stephen Borkowski, WSJ, 7 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impiety
Noun
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For creatives, its use was treated like blasphemy.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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Interreligious tension exists, with arbitrary detentions of Christians and arrests under the nation’s blasphemy laws.—
Mathew Schmalz,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Religious and political leaders from around the world condemned the image, some calling it a sacrilege.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
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At many Jewish institutions, rejecting Zionism is indeed regarded as a form of sacrilege.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Iran disagrees strongly, and called Israel's ongoing attacks in Lebanon a violation of the ongoing two-week ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.—
April 16,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Rodgers echoed Kelly’s trepidations by arguing that the city should take more explicit actions under code that already exists to protect against ordinance violations.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Vatican says fighting corruption in the mineral-rich country and insisting on the correct uses of political authority are expected to be themes of Leo’s visit, which starts Wednesday with his arrival in Yaounde, the capital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The election reflects Peru’s deep political instability — nine presidents in ten years — amid voter anger over crime and corruption, though the country’s economy has remained relatively resilient.—
Franklin Briceño,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Against desecration of our flag bill 4.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
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In both films, the effect is of a diminution, a depersonalization—not to say, a desecration of the experience of horror that the documentary element embodies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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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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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Conan O’Brien hosted for the second straight year, with the right amount of bratty irreverence.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
16 Mar. 2026
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Shot through the lens of director Yorgos Lanthimos' darkly comedic irreverence, this is a (gloriously) nasty piece of work, and Colman is more than willing to get her hands dirty.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impiety. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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