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 secular
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
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Recent Examples of profane
Toby Mergler, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Tarantino’s movies are known for pithy, profane dialogue and are liberally peppered with pop-culture references, graphic violence, and over-the-top cinematic flourishes.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
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
His profane postgame pep talk regarding the Packers cemented his status in Chi-town for many years to come, and the team seems to gain emotional momentum from his untethered tactics.
—Toby Mergler, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Tarantino’s movies are known for pithy, profane dialogue and are liberally peppered with pop-culture references, graphic violence, and over-the-top cinematic flourishes.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
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
-
What looked like ideological bias was, more often, temporal lag.—
Charles Edward Gehrke,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Again and again, Tennyson fills his beautifully wrought poems with enormous, unfathomable depths—sometimes cosmic, sometimes temporal, sometimes psychological, often oceanic.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Rabbi Andrew Schultz, executive director of the Community Alliance for Jewish Affiliated Cemeteries, said this option does not align with Jewish burial traditions, though many secular Jews inquire about alternate practices.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Judging by her writings, Raha belonged to a milieu in Tehran where the arts are a secular religion.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Weiner pled guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor in 2017 and spent 15 months in federal prison for the crime.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Texas Tech’s student section directed an obscene chant at Kansas’ Darryn Peterson as the freshman guard prepared to shoot a free throw late in the first half of the Jayhawks’ 64-61 victory over the Red Raiders on Monday night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
What follows are some of their stories about the way gambling addictions prey on fandom, the convenience of online sportsbooks, and the masculine culture of competitiveness to corrupt the role of sports in their lives.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And in a country where Bollywood stars and social media influencers heavily shape body image, doctors worry the drugs could be misused.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Specifically, how will clinical appropriateness be ensured, how will care coordination be maintained, how will misuse and fraud be prevented, and who ultimately has negotiating leverage in drug pricing?—
Sreedhar Potarazu,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If the director and board both agree the investigation showed police policy was violated, the Cincinnati city manager will make a final decision regarding punishment, if warranted.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Cross later filed a federal lawsuit against Nanos, claiming the sheriff violated his First Amendment rights.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both Bloom’s and Brick’s physical devices may also give them an edge with young people who increasingly prefer the analog over the digital.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
There are more overtly sexy moments in Fennell’s movie — the physical intimacy is ratcheted up significantly from the book — but this scene underlines the Brontë’s themes of desire and repression — and the friction between them — that imprinted on the filmmaker as a teen.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When authorities asked King to remove the breast banner as vulgar, King taped over the nipples with stars made of tape or Magic Marker.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Sarah, the former Duchess of York, also sent emails to Epstein which included a vulgar mention of Eugenie, who had not yet turned 20 at the time, People reported.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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