SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
desecrate
verb
To treat something sacred or deeply respected with serious disrespect.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Violate something sacred
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topVandalize means damage property; desecrate stresses its sacred or deeply respected character.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See desecrate in use
The story's intruders threaten to desecrate the ancient shrine.
In the novel, vandals attempt to desecrate the town's cherished memorial register by dragging its commemorative pages through mud as an act of contempt.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license