Synonyms of profound

profound

adjective

prə-ˈfau̇nd 

1

as in intense

extreme in degree, power, or effect

a profound silence fell over the audience after the last note had sounded

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intense
• intensive
• deep
• fierce
• terrible
• ferocious
• heavy
• acute
• furious
• violent
• explosive
• exquisite
• vicious
• fearful
• dreadful
• excruciating
• frightful
• vehement
• ghastly
• blistering
• fearsome
• keen
• hard
• heavy-duty
• intensified
• almighty
• heightened
• harsh
• severe
• hellacious
• aggravated
• concentrated
• enhanced
• deepened
• magnified
• thorough
• exhaustive
• stressed
• accentuated
• emphasized
• rigorous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• moderate
• soft
• weak
• feeble
• superficial
• shallow
• qualified
• decreased
• eased
• moderated
• diminished
• toned (down)
• subdued
• reduced
• lightened
• alleviated
• lessened
• abated

2

as in esoteric

difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand

a profound observation about good and evil that few listeners fully grasped

Synonyms & Similar Words

• esoteric
• deep
• ambiguous
• scholarly
• recondite
• abstruse
• hermetic
• arcane
• mystical
• confusing
• complicated
• academic
• complex
• enigmatic
• mystic
• mysterious
• erudite
• learned
• cryptic
• uncanny
• unfathomable
• incomprehensible
• inscrutable
• unintelligible
• perplexing
• pedantic
• baffling
• puzzling
• unanswerable
• unknowable
• confounding
• impenetrable
• hard
• disorienting
• orphic
• mystifying
• bewildering
• darkling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• superficial
• simple
• shallow
• easy
• straightforward
• obvious
• understandable
• apparent
• intelligible
• comprehensible
• evident
• distinct
• clear
• facile
• manifest
• plain
• lucid
• transparent
• fathomable
• clear-cut
• perspicuous

3

as in sheer

having no exceptions or restrictions

a profound dislike of frauds and phonies

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sheer
• unconditional
• utter
• simple
• absolute
• complete
• pure
• total
• definite
• very
• outright
• real
• perfect
• damn
• huge
• damned
• deadly
• thorough
• thoroughgoing
• unmitigated
• stark
• categorical
• dreadful
• endless
• downright
• unadulterated
• unqualified
• constant
• genuine
• blank
• regular
• crashing
• consummate
• clean
• fair
• eternal
• plumb
• horrible
• unalloyed
• flat-out
• terrible
• blooming
• extreme
• straight-out
• rank
• bodacious
• out-and-out
• flat
• perpetual
• dead
• extraordinary
• authentic
• arrant
• stone
• all-out
• veritable
• classic
• unremitting
• undying
• hopeless
• main
• terrific
• supreme
• unrestricted
• confirmed
• habitual
• frightful
• superlative
• inveterate
• surpassing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• uncertain
• doubtful
• questionable
• dubious
• restricted
• qualified
• equivocal

4

as in deep

extending far downward

with eyes wide with disbelief, the explorers made their way through a canyon more profound than any they had ever imagined

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deep
• vast
• bottomless
• unfathomable
• abysmal
• immeasurable
• infinite
• endless
• boundless
• inestimable
• limitless
• unlimited
• abyssal
• measureless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• superficial
• surface
• shallow
• level
• smooth
• limited
• even
• skin-deep
• horizontal
• flat
• depthless
• shoal
• finite
• confined
• two-dimensional
• plane
• flush
• restricted
• measured

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of profound

Upheavals so profound are not accomplished without loosing uneasy spirits that will haunt us for many days. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Protests spilled onto the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and lasted for days, representing a profound threat to the Israeli government. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

To me, this period of seeking forgiveness from those around us is at least as profound and perhaps even more difficult. — Marvin Krislov, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026

Still, the current team does have a rare shot at shaping an orchestra that is not only reliably exciting and frequently profound but also casually bold and genuinely fun — making for a crucial presence in the city as well as at Geffen Hall. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026