profane
verb
, prə-\
Definition of profane
(Entry 1 of 2)
profane
adjectiveDefinition of profane (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from profane
Verb
Adjective
, prə- \
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for profane
Synonyms: Verb
abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
Synonyms: Adjective
nonreligious, secular, temporal
Antonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of profane in a Sentence
Verb
the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched moviesAdjective
it was hard to juggle the requirements of church and our more profane duties offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so casually
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
By targeting a house of worship, rather than a private home or business, the attacker has committed a powerful symbolic transgression: profaning a space that is both sacred and communal. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "An assailant killed at least 11 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.," 27 Oct. 2018 And even in the Trump administration, the idea of profaning one of the president’s most precious assets in his relationship with the conservative movement and the GOP by putting a TV judge on the nation’s highest court is hair-raising. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Wanted to Make Fox News Pundit Pirro a Supreme Court Justice," 7 June 2018 There’s a way certain things—death, extreme poverty—are deemed so tragic that they cannot be profaned, they can only be spoken of reverently or seriously. — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, "Jenny Zhang: 'Tiny Stories' Are Vital to Literature," 13 Sep. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Yankees manager Aaron Boone served a one-game suspension from Major League Baseball, a day after going viral for a profane rant aimed at a rookie umpire in a doubleheader opener against the Rays. — Jake Seiner, courant.com, "Encarnacion, ex-Rockies help Yankees beat Colorado 8-2," 20 July 2019 On your return to the city’s center, take two detours, one sacred, the other blessedly profane. — Michael J. Bailey, BostonGlobe.com, "In Milan, a low-tech saunter through a mecca of high fashion," 18 June 2019 Among the profane human aspirations, fame might be at the top of the Western hierarchy. — Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, "The Elusive Price—and Prize—of Fame on the Internet," 20 Aug. 2019 Preacher is based on the famously profane Garth Ennis / Steve Dillon Vertigo comic about small-town Texas preacher Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) who’s inhabited by Genesis, the most powerful entity in the universe. — Noah Berlatsky, The Verge, "Preacher is unwatched, unloved, and doomed — but Tulip O’Hare goes on," 14 Aug. 2019 The team’s accounts often respond to users on Twitter and Instagram, including those with non-profane critiques. — Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, "As constant social media criticism magnifies Rockies’ woes, players remain even-keeled about the heat they receive," 28 July 2019 Much of the impetus is coming from the younger set, whose presence was especially noticeable at the rallies, typically lively affairs with plenty of music, flag-waving and chants, some of them profane. — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, "With Ricardo Rosselló out as governor, Puerto Rico 'needs to regain its moral compass and hope.' But, how?," 26 July 2019 Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, resigned on Wednesday night, after a profane group chat between Roselló and his top aides was leaked to the press, launching a crisis that left the island’s politics in a state of suspension. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, "The Frustration Behind Puerto Rico’s Popular Movement," 26 July 2019 The video shows police officers who pointed their guns and shouted profane commands last month at a black family. — CBS News, "Community meeting over Phoenix cops' confrontation with black couple gets heated," 19 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'profane.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for profane
profane
verb
English Language Learners Definition of profane
(Entry 1 of 2)
profane
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of profane (Entry 2 of 2)