desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈde-si-ˌkrāt 
desecrated; desecrating
2
: to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously
… the kind of shore development … that has desecrated so many waterfronts …—
John Fischer
John Fischer
Examples of desecrate in a Sentence
The vandals were accused of desecrating graves.
vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti
Recent Examples on the Web
And yet a joint biography is the only kind that feels appropriate; posthumously disentangling one brother from the other seems tantamount to desecrating a corpse, for Jacob and Wilhelm were ardently inseparable.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
The third film sees David Howard Thornton return as the diabolical Art the Clown, who desecrates bodies left and right during the Christmas season.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 14 Oct. 2024
The pathogen violates and desecrates bodies, and its victims return the favor by violating and desecrating any uninfected man, woman, or child in their path.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
San Francisco Art Institute Considered the oldest art school west of the Mississippi River, the art institute is rumored to have been built on top of a graveyard, desecrating bodies in a manner that provoked the spirits.
—Shawna Chen, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desecrate 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
The third film sees David Howard Thornton return as the diabolical Art the Clown, who desecrates bodies left and right during the Christmas season.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 14 Oct. 2024
The pathogen violates and desecrates bodies, and its victims return the favor by violating and desecrating any uninfected man, woman, or child in their path.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
San Francisco Art Institute Considered the oldest art school west of the Mississippi River, the art institute is rumored to have been built on top of a graveyard, desecrating bodies in a manner that provoked the spirits.
—Shawna Chen, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desecrate
Dictionary Entries Near desecrate
Cite this Entry
“Desecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desecrate. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desecrate
verb
des·e·crate
ˈdes-i-ˌkrāt
desecrated; desecrating
: to treat a sacred place or sacred object shamefully or with great disrespect
desecration
noun
ˌdes-i-ˈkrā-shən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share