1
as in temporal
not involving religion or religious matters
it was hard to juggle the requirements of church and our more profane duties
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in secular
not showing proper reverence for the holy or sacred
offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so casually
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
his idea of dinner table conversation is the telling of profane stories about his alleged sexual exploits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to corrupt
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to misuse
to put to a bad or improper use
profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to violate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
invading troops profaned the altar by playing poker on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 profane
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
But bringing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict into it at the end was notable, given how the biggest controversy at last year’s Coachella had to do with the group Kneecap using its set to condemn Israel for military actions in the Middle East, albeit in more profane terms.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2021
The narrative is that of a leader who has experienced vilification at the hands of enemies who are both secular (and thus profane) and intensely demonic.
—Federico Finchelstein, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for profane
Adjective
By putting religious and profane art together—a picture of Christ on one wall and Apollo on another, both equalized in their prettiness—Raphael triggered centuries of decadence.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
But bringing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict into it at the end was notable, given how the biggest controversy at last year’s Coachella had to do with the group Kneecap using its set to condemn Israel for military actions in the Middle East, albeit in more profane terms.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
Her husband, the exuberant and often profane former Dodgers manager who won two World Series championships, died Jan. 7 at 93.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2021
The narrative is that of a leader who has experienced vilification at the hands of enemies who are both secular (and thus profane) and intensely demonic.
—Federico Finchelstein, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2020
See All Example Sentences for profane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profane
Adjective
-
In fact, infants start out being able to process multiple temporal patterns equally well, but specialize across the first year in the patterns common to their culture, losing the ability to process others.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Even when Andy starts spiraling into discussions about cosmic turtles, destiny, and temporal manipulation, his big sister anchors that playful back-and-forth in serious creative rigor.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Daily prayers and Bible study sessions are strictly regimented for the children; cellphones, computer games and secular music, among many other things, are verboten.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
Marrone leads Liguori Academy, a private, secular high school and credit-recovery program in Kensington.—
Kerry McDonald,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
If this obscene gerrymander survives, the next one will purge what little remains of Democratic representation in the Legislature, where the GOP holds massive supermajorities far beyond its share of the electorate.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
He was also given a third charge involving obscene material and minors, according to jail records.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
At first, the gorgeous ripe berries are evidence of how perfect our planet can be, corrupted only by the selfish impulses of a human race that’s largely uninterested in caring for anything on it when there isn’t a profit to be made.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
-
An independent redistricting commission — transparent, balanced and insulated from the very political pressures that have corrupted this process.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The tool did not fail, and engineers did not misuse it.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
And parents and caregivers may not be aware that these items are being misused in this way.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Over the past three weeks, the collapse of the once-tight bond between two of the most prominent names in AI has been the subject of a high-profile trial in Oakland, California, after Musk sued Altman and OpenAI in 2024 for allegedly violating their commitment to keep OpenAI as a nonprofit.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
For now, Carl still looks like an ethical saint compared to Duncan, who remains committed to violating privacy laws with such brazenness that even the federal government would be moved to pass enforceable regulations against him.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The affidavit states that Dunmars parked in front of Hayes’ vehicle, partially blocking her path, before a physical fight allegedly broke out involving Dunmars’ daughter and two of Hayes’ daughters.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
And with more than 20 miles of trails on the property to explore, the natural surroundings here cannot help but enhance members’ mental and physical well-being.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
His father's death during World War II influenced his pursuit of the ministry even amid the officially atheistic communist regime of the Soviet Union, according to his obituary on the OCU website.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
But there has been a recent rise in secular congregations that explicitly mimic religious organizations and rituals to celebrate atheistic worldviews.—
Jacqui Frost,
The Conversation,
11 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
