as in violates
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti
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Recent Examples of desecrates
Nothing beats cuteness except watching violence be enacted upon the cuteness; like an aural Happy Tree Friends, Skulls tosses pom-poms of fuzz into the sky then desecrates them.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Dec. 2025
In the world of Monster, a person who takes lives and desecrates corpses might someday be capable of redemption.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Dec. 2025
In the world of Monster, a person who takes lives and desecrates corpses might someday be capable of redemption.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desecrates
violates
Verb
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The Supreme Court said Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors violates the free speech rights of a Christian counselor.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Israeli rights groups and international organizations say the law violates international law and discriminates against Palestinians through unequal application across courts.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desecrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecrates. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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