as in sacrilege
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the First Book of the Maccabees tells of the profanation of the temple of Jerusalem by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 b.c.
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Recent Examples of profanation
Scottish hen parties were deemed to contain ritualistic profanation.
—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; ’Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.
—
John Edgar Wideman,
The New Yorker,
8 July 2021
The first assault is on the Nile itself, which is turned to blood, thereby ruining both agriculture and aquaculture in one swoop, a profanation with religious consequences.
—
Kevin D. Williamson,
National Review,
28 Nov. 2019
His family has argued that the exhumation would amount to profanation of a burial site, and said the only alternative resting place for Franco should be inside the crypt of the Madrid cathedral, a suggestion that the government found unacceptable.
—
Raphael Minder,
New York Times,
4 June 2019
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; ’Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.
—
John Edgar Wideman,
The New Yorker,
8 July 2021
The first assault is on the Nile itself, which is turned to blood, thereby ruining both agriculture and aquaculture in one swoop, a profanation with religious consequences.
—
Kevin D. Williamson,
National Review,
28 Nov. 2019
His family has argued that the exhumation would amount to profanation of a burial site, and said the only alternative resting place for Franco should be inside the crypt of the Madrid cathedral, a suggestion that the government found unacceptable.
—
Raphael Minder,
New York Times,
4 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profanation
Noun
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That’s sacrilege on par with an Ohioan disowning football or a Texan recoiling at the smell of brisket, a Kentuckian thumbing his nose at college basketball.
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Sure, Texans are very hospitable, but playing anything other than country music over the speakers is normally considered sacrilege in that establishment.
Noun
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The Tesla’s desecration follows a vandalism spree in Queens that saw religious centers, homes and vehicles defiled with swastikas and antisemitic slogans last month.
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However, the Supreme Court in several cases has struck down any improper use or desecration of the flag on the grounds of free speech, according to the Library of Congress’ most frequently asked questions about flag law.
Noun
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This was a weak case for blasphemy.
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The president later removed the post in the face of outrage and accusations of blasphemy.
Noun
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Lawyers in the gas station lawsuit assert that technology is enabling antitrust violations.
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Beijing has and been accused of serious human violations, including large-scale arbitrary detention of Uyghur and other Muslim minorities, in Xinjiang.
Noun
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The electoral authority based the candidate bans on a law against corrupt practices that in previous years saw some parliamentary seats bought with money linked to drug trafficking, corruption and tax evasion.
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Seems like far too many appreciate this type of corruption, and making money on SM for lies, is precisely that.
Noun
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In about seven minutes, with pushing, shoving, and cursing, the agents cleared a path for the van.
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People would literally be in the drive-thru cursing at me.
Noun
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Though Koestenbaum’s novel is decidedly curious about the psychosexual aspect of obsession, the core themes—and a certain gleeful irreverence—are consistent across both texts.
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The screening usually focusses on clandestine hanky-panky, but this season the girls’ irreverence was so abundant that the producers treated them to an unprecedented second viewing night.
Cite this Entry
“Profanation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanation. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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