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
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2
as in to misuse
to put to a bad or improper use
profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies
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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
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Recent Examples of profane
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
The Houston Astros have lost six straight games and Carlos Correa was blunt in his profane assessment of the team’s recent play.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 14 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
Ball was also fined an additional $25,000 for using profane language during a live postgame television interview.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
The Houston Astros have lost six straight games and Carlos Correa was blunt in his profane assessment of the team’s recent play.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 14 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
-
The first is their temporal nature—they are specifically designed for live and unfolding events, and their modality reflects this liveness.—
Daniel Jackson,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Her formidable, untitled 2026 sphinx regally commands its space among ancient Egyptian and Roman sculpture, a marvel of the cross-temporal and cross-spatial, spiked with specific references to Black self-determination.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And naturally, Anthony Bourdain made his own pilgrimage, offering his approval like a secular blessing.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The other is completely secular—thoroughly of this age, thoroughly of this world.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The incident was captured on the broadcast, and after the game, Duran explained that his obscene gesture was in response to a fan crossing the line.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The most common crime investigated by the unit was the distribution of obscene material depicting minors, followed by elder abuse and rape.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, what the young Valdi captures on these early scenes is the sense that whatever love Michael had for music and performance had become immediately corrupted.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But trademark infringement lawsuits can be filed in federal court — a potentially potent greater deterrent to misuse, because those cases apply nationwide.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Anthropic is also testing its latest Mythos model with a select group of companies; the Claude developer claims these restrictions are necessary to ensure the model can’t be misused upon a more public release.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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It was eventually reduced to 184 games for violating the league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
He was also later convicted in federal court of violating Bils’ civil rights.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His physical attributes caught the attention of the Ravens’ front office and scouts, but his relationship with Heap helped drive his quality of character home.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Both Ponds and Glenn were undersized cornerbacks who both love to get physical.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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