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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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
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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
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Recent Examples of profane
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), who has endorsed Porter, points to the late beloved, oft-profane legislative leader John Burton of San Francisco as an example of a double standard.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 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
This is all, of course, a provocation, a way of merging the sacred and profane, and asking which is which.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), who has endorsed Porter, points to the late beloved, oft-profane legislative leader John Burton of San Francisco as an example of a double standard.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 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
-
Kate Fry, whose assignment here as Gretl requires a temporal transition from the coquettish and sensuous to a character rich with the moral authority of experience and an ability to judge the folly of others, is quite extraordinary.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
-
In an instant – or rather, through a grueling, ugly, then gritty, then triumphant Game 5 – that temporal distance is temporarily undone.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The docudrama drew large crowds in France last year despite criticism from some secular and Catholic sources.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
-
Moreover, Christian humanists believe the sacred-secular divide that many Christians embrace is not just artificial but profoundly misguided.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Friis Bach, who was then chairman of the Folketing’s secretive Foreign Policy Committee, was asked in early January to begin considering the obscene logistics of a mass evacuation of Greenland.—
Joshua Hunt,
Vanity Fair,
17 June 2026
-
The amount of money spent on election campaigns is absolutely obscene.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Americans are angry that their kids are being indoctrinated into a left-wing ideology intended to infiltrate their hearts and corrupt their moral center.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Identity theft protection can help monitor for signs that your personal information is being misused.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
If the same engine can run with softer brakes in trusted channels, regulators may ask whether the brakes can be stripped, bypassed or misused.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
In 2014, Smith served a nine-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 June 2026
-
He was suspended multiple times during his career for infractions including violating the league's substance abuse and personal conduct policy.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Team Australia players Jacob Italiano and Harry Souttar just received two yellow cards after the referee determined that the match is becoming too physical.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
Professor Igor Aharonovich said twisting layered materials can produce entirely new physical behaviors.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
But there has been a recent rise in secular congregations that explicitly mimic religious organizations and rituals to celebrate atheistic worldviews.—
Jacqui Frost,
The Conversation,
11 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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