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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To sully that legacy seems like sartorial sacrilege.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
18 June 2025
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Lea has dropped out of medical school to become a reformed Rabbi – which to her father is a sacrilege.—
Tom Teicholz,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Noun
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Throughout the movie, others caution Venis to shut down his deepfake AI tools which have led to military conflict and the desecration of holy sites across the world.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
31 May 2025
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Yet Jesus becomes angered by the desecration of the temple and begins tipping over the merchants' tables in the holy place while wielding a righteous whip.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
Noun
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Many religious people who are not fluent in Italian who laughed at the meme or even repeated the words felt that they were tricked into blasphemy.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
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In a mix of fascination, irreverence, fandom and possible blasphemy, video compilations of cardinals with Charli XCX soundtracks have popped up online.—
Emma Bubola,
New York Times,
7 May 2025
Noun
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Whether they are regulated globally or locally, human rights violations within supplier networks will never reflect well on parent companies.—
Mary Foley,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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While aerial intercepts are intended to prevent airspace violations, such maneuvers can lead to midair collisions if executed in an unsafe or unprofessional manner.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 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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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
Noun
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The law aims to curb corruption and undue influence in federal campaigns.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
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The daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been accused of corruption, misusing public funds, and threatening to assassinate former ally and current president Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—
Cecilia Hult,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
Noun
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This sort of irreverence was new for the Disney marketing behemoth, and the idea for the ads came from the filmmakers themselves.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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At 34 years old, Stockman's youthful assurance and irreverence for sacred cows of all kinds soon upset many of his former colleagues on the Hill.—
Ron Elving,
NPR,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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