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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For years, Apple treated the idea of windows on the iPad as sacrilege.—
Craig Grannell,
Wired News,
16 Aug. 2025
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And still, Wankdorf Stadium heaved with Portuguese song, as if any other noise outside of a goal celebration might border on sacrilege.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
Noun
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In fact, the party came within a single vote of getting a constitutional amendment prohibiting desecration of the flag through Congress two decades ago.—
Frederic J. Frommer,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 2025
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Its desecration has sparked international outcry and raised concerns about security at major religious sites.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The European Parliament has twice called for Yahaya’s release, asking Nigeria to set an example by abolishing the blasphemy laws under which he has been detained for over five years.—
Sean Nelson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Yes, all this is whimsical blasphemy.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That will kick off a public process in which the City Council will carefully consider which violations warrant the use of of administrative citations and how the fines will be scaled.—
Wes Burdine,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
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Currently, nearly 60,000 people are being held by ICE, almost half have no criminal record, only immigration violations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Oct. 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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Decades of mismanagement, underinvestment and corruption have strained the power grid of Iraq, which is OPEC's second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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Madagascar has seen weeks of protests, initially spurred by shortages of water and power but now encompassing deeper unhappiness over corruption, inflation, and high unemployment.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There was yelling, taunting and cursing from fans.—
Bob Harkins,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Running offstage, costumes disheveled, strategizing, cursing.—
Lauren Rothery,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The caramel coating of insane-asylum irreverence can’t totally disguise that flavor.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
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Shows with women protagonists and nuanced explorations of their personal and professional lives reflect her wit, irreverence, and commitment to social justice.—
Time,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanation. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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