as in sacrilege
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the First Book of the Maccabees tells of the profanation of the temple of Jerusalem by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 b.c.
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Recent Examples of profanation
Scottish hen parties were deemed to contain ritualistic profanation.
—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 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
The first assault is on the Nile itself, which is turned to blood, thereby ruining both agriculture and aquaculture in one swoop, a profanation with religious consequences.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 28 Nov. 2019
His family has argued that the exhumation would amount to profanation of a burial site, and said the only alternative resting place for Franco should be inside the crypt of the Madrid cathedral, a suggestion that the government found unacceptable.
—Raphael Minder, New York Times, 4 June 2019
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 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
The first assault is on the Nile itself, which is turned to blood, thereby ruining both agriculture and aquaculture in one swoop, a profanation with religious consequences.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 28 Nov. 2019
His family has argued that the exhumation would amount to profanation of a burial site, and said the only alternative resting place for Franco should be inside the crypt of the Madrid cathedral, a suggestion that the government found unacceptable.
—Raphael Minder, New York Times, 4 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profanation
Noun
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In 1998, the Lucky Chances casino opened, surrounded by graveyards on three side, which critics saw as a sacrilege.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
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For years, Apple treated the idea of windows on the iPad as sacrilege.—
Craig Grannell,
Wired News,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Both men are charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful removal of a dead body and unlawful desecration of a human corpse, according to court records.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Complete and utter desecration of a national monument.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Another of Mirk’s sermons tells a lurid story about the Virgin appearing to a judge known for his blasphemy.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Nov. 2025
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More recently, Netflix’s film Mary, about the life of the mother of Jesus Christ, sparked debate among viewers when it was released in 2024, and the upcoming horror film The Carpenter’s Son about Jesus Christ was described as blasphemy online.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The most common template for an insider trading violation is as follows.—
Samidh Guha,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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In Chicago, the indelible image of a pastor in a clerical collar shot in the head with a pepper ball by agents standing on the rooftop of an ICE building is a direct violation of CBP’s use of force policy.—
Andy Rose 19 hr ago,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Steeped in a culture of corruption, those who would take over from Maduro would continue to prioritize enriching themselves.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
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Though Cheney was not personally named in litigation, Halliburton settled a Nigerian corruption complaint for $250 million.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Eastpointe Police Department said the threats came in front of staff, students and parents, who witnessed the parent screaming and cursing, WWJ reported.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
27 Oct. 2025
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There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While opinions inevitably vary, Carpenter is walking the fine line between irreverence and responsibility with a knowing wink and an all-important sense of humor.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
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There’s nothing like the name Vaginal Davis to announce the artist’s fiery irreverence.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanation. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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