desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈde-si-ˌkrāt 
desecrated; desecrating
2
: to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously
… the kind of shore development … that has desecrated so many waterfronts …—
John Fischer
John FischerExamples of desecrate in a Sentence
The vandals were accused of desecrating graves.
vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti
Recent Examples on the Web
Anyone who desecrates these sacred places will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Now 23, Aponte pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge as part of a plea deal that saw prosecutors drop additional counts against her, including endangering, hindering, and disturbing or desecrating human remains, court records show.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
After unknowingly desecrating a sacred burial ground, 17-year-old Dashon Wallace (McLaughlin) and his family become targets of the Mbirwi, an ancient spirit summoned to protect the local community from the invasion of foreigners.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country
But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.
—Kevin Sack, Time, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
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.
Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Now 23, Aponte pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge as part of a plea deal that saw prosecutors drop additional counts against her, including endangering, hindering, and disturbing or desecrating human remains, court records show.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
After unknowingly desecrating a sacred burial ground, 17-year-old Dashon Wallace (McLaughlin) and his family become targets of the Mbirwi, an ancient spirit summoned to protect the local community from the invasion of foreigners.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country
But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.
—Kevin Sack, Time, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Cite this Entry
“Desecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desecrate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈdes-i-ˌkrāt
desecrated; desecrating
: to treat a sacred place or sacred object shamefully or with great disrespect
desecration
noun
ˌdes-i-ˈkrā-shən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share