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
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Recent Examples of profane
Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
In its 91-year history the FCC has routinely reserved its moderation of broadcast TV to regulating lewd or profane content.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
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
Clever and non-profane tee-to-green commentary should be allowed, just not when a player is standing over his ball.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
In its 91-year history the FCC has routinely reserved its moderation of broadcast TV to regulating lewd or profane content.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
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
-
Without temporal permanence, hallucinations inherited from their past selves are accepted as true, and can begin to compound.—
Tharin Pillay,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The novella lacks the temporal markers that indicate how much time has passed between episodes and exhibits an abundance of characters with ruptured psyches.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Harlem rapper grew up in a strict Muslim household where secular music wasn’t allowed to be played.—
Angel Diaz,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Harley-Davidson — The motorcycle maker fell 4% after Morgan Stanley cut it to underweight from equal weight, citing lower pricing power and weak secular trends.—
Scott Schnipper,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Banners containing commercial, political or obscene material, or that block guest views.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Just another week in the world of Ball, who was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ 144-117 loss to Miami.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But Strummer always had a puritanical zeal about his punk mission and a terror of getting corrupted by fame.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Elites stirred up a now familiar moral panic about commerce corrupting letters and mocked Grub Street even as its writers built the first modern freelance economy and mass-print culture.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Why Supplement Combinations Matter Dietary supplements may seem harmless, but taking too much of certain supplements or misusing them can result in reduced nutrient absorption and other serious side effects.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Hong Kong — A Chinese coffee chain has apologized and changed its name after state media roasted it for misusing a word revered by the nation’s communist government.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In August 2024, the Hales Corners Library Board voted unanimously to keep the books in the library's circulation and concluded Lewis-Lane and library staff did not violate library policies.—
Adrienne Davis,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But Comey's attorneys raised separate concerns that by using those materials at all, the government may have violated Comey's rights -- not just by reviewing potentially privileged information, but also by revisiting evidence obtained by warrants that would now be considered stale.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
So commences a night of harrowing encounters and trauma both physical and mental, starting with Ron and Mike’s trip to meet Oliver at a bar after one of his shows.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Perez does not break down training into physical and tactical work, instead designing complex exercises so players build fitness while practising real-game situations.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Who decides what’s decorous and what’s vulgar?—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The president has been targeting Jeffries online with offensive and vulgar memes since the pair first had an unsuccessful sit-down meeting in the Oval Office just before the shutdown.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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