desecrate

verb

des·​e·​crate ˈde-si-ˌkrāt 

desecrated; desecrating

transitive verb

1

: to violate the sanctity of : profane

desecrate a shrine

a cemetery desecrated by vandals

2

: to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously

… the kind of shore development … that has desecrated so many waterfronts …

—John Fischer

desecrater noun

or desecrator

ˈde-si-ˌkrā-tər 

Synonyms

• defile
• profane
• violate

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

The company says that Greenpeace included false statements in a letter to the company’s banks that asserted construction of the pipeline desecrated tribal burial grounds and important cultural sites. —Jennifer Safstrom, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025

How could the Chicago Archdiocese allow the Rev. Michael Pfleger to desecrate sacred parish grounds built on American soil and off the sweat of immigrants? —Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025

But when the government is being deliberately desecrated, disasters are all but guaranteed. —Stephen Collinson, CNN, 1 Mar. 2025

What's more, ancient Assyrian artifacts located in the historic Nimrud and Tikrit were desecrated or outright destroyed by ISIS militants. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

de- + -secrate (as in consecrate)

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for desecrate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

desecrate

verb

des·​e·​crate ˈdes-i-ˌkrāt 

desecrated; desecrating

: to treat a sacred place or sacred object shamefully or with great disrespect

desecrater noun

or desecrator

-ˌkrāt-ər 

desecration

ˌdes-i-ˈkrā-shən

noun