1
as in temporal
not involving religion or religious matters
it was hard to juggle the requirements of church and our more profane duties
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2
as in atheistical
not showing proper reverence for the holy or sacred
offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so casually
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3
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
his idea of dinner table conversation is the telling of profane stories about his alleged sexual exploits
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1
as in to corrupt
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories
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2
as in to misuse
to put to a bad or improper use
profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies
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3
as in to violate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
invading troops profaned the altar by playing poker on it
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Examples of profane in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The performance, which will undoubtedly be scrutinized and discussed in the awards season, is a blend of tough, profane humor, feral intelligence and cynical calculation, with pathos and heartbreak added in at the end.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024
Federico Finchelstein, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2020
The following day, Pope Francis spoke out against violence toward women during his New Year’s Day homily in St. Peter’s Basilica, equating it to profaning God, according to the Associated Press.
—Josiah Bates, Time, 1 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for profane 
Adjective
And thanks to Miles’ deep fondness for Pinot Noir and his profane rejection of Merlot, sales of Pinot Noir on the West Coast reportedly increased by 16%, while Merlot dropped 2%.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The performance, which will undoubtedly be scrutinized and discussed in the awards season, is a blend of tough, profane humor, feral intelligence and cynical calculation, with pathos and heartbreak added in at the end.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
The narrative is that of a leader who has experienced vilification at the hands of enemies who are both secular (and thus profane) and intensely demonic.
—Federico Finchelstein, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2020
The following day, Pope Francis spoke out against violence toward women during his New Year’s Day homily in St. Peter’s Basilica, equating it to profaning God, according to the Associated Press.
—Josiah Bates, Time, 1 Jan. 2020
See all Example Sentences for profane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profane
Adjective
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Additionally, temporal control techniques like pausing before responding or speaking at a moderate pace can demonstrate thoughtfulness and composure.Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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This exploration of Japan’s distinctive temporal culture aims to be the heart of THE GIFT OF TIME, which views time as a gift from nature nurtured alongside its changing seasons.Nia Bowers, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Declan, quite a serious character in the novel, proceeds to drink obscene amounts of whiskey and smoke intellectually in the bath, glowering beneath his mustache.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024
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Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe got most of the attention for his racist routine, but the event was filled with bigotry and obscene references.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The film wrestles with humanity’s darkest desires — the corrupting nature of power, the danger of discovery and, naturally, the existential dread lurking in our souls.Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024
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The End of Everything from Frog God Games drops such heroes into a world that’s slowly being warped by the corrupting forces of the Mythos.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Without unified ethical standards set forth by the White House, agencies will be more likely to misuse AI.Jill Goldenziel, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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In fact, all of our cases above feature Christian-clergy plaintiffs who do not want the government to misuse or misrepresent their faith and care deeply about their neighbors’ religious freedom.Rachel Laser, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Media and transparency Lee says she was fired after refusing to violate California’s open records law.East Bay Times editorial, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
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The jury, in Delaware, agreed with Apple that Masimo’s W1 and Freedom watches and chargers willfully violated Apple’s patent rights in smartwatch designs, awarding the tech giant $250 in damages.Reuters, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The Ferndale location will be repurposed for secular use effective Monday.Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2024
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In 2000, with Gulen still in the U.S., Turkish authorities charged him with leading an Islamist plot to overthrow the country’s secular form of government and establish a religious state.Michael Rubinkam, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Yes, but: While Democrats hammer Trump on his recent vulgar and sometimes violent rhetoric, House Speaker Mike Johnson brushed the comments aside Sunday as typical hyperbole.Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
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Former President Donald Trump delivered unusual and vulgar remarks Saturday about the late golf legend Arnold Palmer while campaigning in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, as the campaign enters the final stretch to Election Day.Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2024
Verb
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It’s been nearly 25 years since the U.S. government stopped purposefully degrading GPS signals, allowing citizens to pinpoint locations more accurately.Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
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While animals already have the genes needed to degrade ethanol before yeasts began producing it, there is some evidence that evolution fine-tuned the ability for mammals and birds that eat fruit and nectar.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near profane
Cite this Entry
“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profane. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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