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 atheistical
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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of profane
Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 20 Mar. 2025
However, Touch deserves some credit for a compelling opening scene and an odd turn by Paul Mazursky as a sleazy, profane record exec.
21.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 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
Another individual is accused of attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails in Loveland, Colo., while the third defendant allegedly wrote profane messages against Trump near Tesla charging stations before lighting them on fire with Molotov cocktails.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 20 Mar. 2025
However, Touch deserves some credit for a compelling opening scene and an odd turn by Paul Mazursky as a sleazy, profane record exec.
21.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 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
-
The camerlengo also administers the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See until a new pope is chosen.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Unlike image or text generation, music operates within strict temporal and structural constraints.—
Rowan Briggs,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This social justice kitsch becomes a mildly obscene evocation of racial terrorism.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Fifteen years after her husband’s drowning in the nearby bay, Tressilian’s days are spent in a cranky routine: grumbling over the obscene resort stationed on the opposite bluff, reading London’s gossip columns, and summoning the household help with the insistent ringing of a bedroom call bell.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Although Harvard is an institution that has been corrupted by politics and would be well served to voluntarily adopt most of Trump’s demands on it, the university has a good shot at prevailing in a legal fight on the grounds that Trump failed to follow the necessary statutory process.—
The Editors,
National Review,
29 Apr. 2025
-
And the disease was a politics that was corrupted by the most powerful in our society: billionaires and oligarchs and corporate CEOs.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Identity theft protection services offer continuous monitoring of your credit reports, social security number, and even the dark web to detect if your information is being misused.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 May 2025
-
Nearly 20 percent of people who take benzodiazepines misuse them, according to a 2019 study.—
Valeriya Safronova,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Immigrant rights advocates argued the administration violated a court order by flying four Venezuelans from Guantanamo to El Salvador.—
Nate Raymond,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
-
In February, an NYPD administrative judge recommended that Lieutenant Jonathan Rivera be removed from the police force without benefits after finding that Rivera broke the law, violated NYPD use-of-force protocols, and lied to cover up his culpability in the 2019 killing of Allan Feliz.—
Lourdes Rosado,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
At the same time, global polarization around topics like migration and climate change has only grown since 2013, showing the limits of his influence in secular life.—
Sophie Hills,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The rumor that any secular art form was of the devil was easier to believe than a young Black man from Hazelhurst, Mississippi finding God through his guitar rather than the church.—
Taryn Finley,
Refinery29,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The comments in screen shots of the chat room were demeaning and vulgar – as were the texts from the anonymous messenger who had sent her the images.—
Yoonjung Seo and Mike Valerio,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Where once was the vulgar, now lies the Vulgate, a common relatable almost religious experience that all at Barclays seemed to feel.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Unlike many other archaeological sites in Sweden, where acidic soil degrades organic material, Strandvägen’s conditions have allowed organic material to survive for many years, as Gummesson tells the publication.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Yields usually fall when fear is dominating markets, but their surprising earlier rise stirred fears that Trump’s trade war was degrading the U.S. bond market’s status as one of the world’s safest places to keep cash.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share