1
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
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2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a profound silence fell over the audience after the last note had sounded
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3
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
a profound dislike of frauds and phonies
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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
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as in depth
the quality of being great in extent (as of insight)
we were struck by the profoundness of his observations on the ultimate meaning of life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of profound
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2025
Each crescendo and emotional shift ignited the crowd, culminating in a profound connection between the band and audience as the final notes faded.
—Billboard China, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2025
Indeed, cancer disrupts lives in the most profound ways.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
For Becker, this ideology represents a profound threat, not the promise of a utopian future.
—ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profound
Adjective
Spanning two ever-changing decades, from post–Khmer Rouge Phnom Penh to early 2000s California, a Cambodian woman grapples with her deep personal desires, untimely love, and shifting family roles amid profound cultural and historical upheavals.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2025
Each crescendo and emotional shift ignited the crowd, culminating in a profound connection between the band and audience as the final notes faded.
—Billboard China, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2025
Indeed, cancer disrupts lives in the most profound ways.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
For Becker, this ideology represents a profound threat, not the promise of a utopian future.
—ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profound
Adjective
-
Advocating for biological men in women’s locker rooms, while rooted in inclusivity, often feels esoteric to the typical voter.—
Nafees Alam,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Fertility data used to be a fairly esoteric concern.—
Noel King,
Vox,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Whether singing a cappella or accompanied by her guitar to hundreds or thousands of people − at a small venue or an awards show − Lafourcade's performances feel visceral, intense and intimate all at once.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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In place of intense (and potentially irritating) acids, Mediheal's Madecassoside Blemish Pads target breakouts and breakout-causing bacteria with anti-inflammatory powerhouses madecassoside and cica.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Teams from outside England also seem to struggle with Arsenal’s sheer athleticism — certainly Real Madrid struggled to keep pace with their physical output in the quarter-final.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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The sheer volume of potential solutions in the consideration set has caused a bit of AI paralysis.—
Tim Houlne,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Orioles scored the first run of the game in the second inning when Ramón Laureano ripped an RBI double to deep center.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Fielder showed an exacting sense of how grotesquely unreal reality shows could get, as well as a deep awareness of how the sausage gets made.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is a team that has quality goaltending and legitimate blue-line depth.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Clove and orange peel bookend a series of scents that prominently feature that sherry influence without getting lost in it; there’s some noteworthy depth here owing to both the distillate and the casks.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Historically, Google has had a less intensive quality control processes than Apple which has meant more low-end apps make it through to the storefront.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
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For now, these lands could be converted to intensive residential, commercial or industrial development.—
Reed Frederick Noss,
The Conversation,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Speaking on his arrival in London with the foreign and defence ministers, Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak said the talks would focus on ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step to peace.—
Elizabeth Piper,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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At the same time, Becky Conner (Goranson) learned the true meaning of unconditional love after becoming a mom.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Consider the way the universe was formed, the majesty of towering mountain peaks, how blood moves through the body, how mathematical formulas and geometric shapes can reveal hidden beauty in their simplicity and profundity.—
Marsha Sutton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
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Multiplicity occasionally, almost accidentally, grasps at profundities about work-life balance that Severance would explore using a more innovative sci-fi premise decades later.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Profound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profound. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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