SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
profane
adjective
Showing disrespect for something sacred, or using offensive and irreverent language.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Disrespectful of the sacred
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topBlasphemous often concerns speech about sacred things; sacrilegious can concern acts. Unhallowed means not consecrated and need not imply active disrespect.
Using offensive language
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topProfane language may involve swearing without specifically attacking religion. Obscene more strongly suggests sexually explicit or deeply offensive material.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See profane in use
The solemn ceremony was interrupted by a profane remark.
A profane remark in another scene deliberately mocked an object the fictional community held sacred, shifting the conflict toward religious disrespect.
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.
- PROFANE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
- Princeton WordNet 3.0: wn30-a-02012748, wn30-a-00425002
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license