profane

1 of 2

verb

pro·​fane prō-ˈfān How to pronounce profane (audio)
prə-
profaned; profaning

transitive verb

1
: to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt : desecrate
2
: to debase by a wrong, unworthy, or vulgar use
profaner noun

profane

2 of 2

adjective

1
: not concerned with religion or religious purposes : secular
2
: not holy because unconsecrated, impure, or defiled : unsanctified
3
a
: serving to debase or defile what is holy : irreverent
4
a
: not being among the initiated
b
: not possessing esoteric or expert knowledge
profanely adverb
profaneness noun

Examples of profane in a Sentence

Verb the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies Adjective it was hard to juggle the requirements of church and our more profane duties offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so casually
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
If Bartolo was against type, then so is Messina's turn as ruthless sports agent David Falk, who profanes his way through protecting his star client, Michael Jordan, when Nike courts the rising basketball star with his own line of shoes, the Air Jordans. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2023 At the risk of profaning a wonderful show, the second season is even better. John Anderson, wsj.com, 4 Apr. 2023 Sean Delahanty, who was colorful, outspoken and sometimes profane in 20 years on Jefferson District Court, has died. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 28 Jan. 2023 Her husband, the exuberant and often profane former Dodgers manager who won two World Series championships, died Jan. 7 at 93. Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2021 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 By targeting a house of worship, rather than a private home or business, the attacker has committed a powerful symbolic transgression: profaning a space that is both sacred and communal. Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, 27 Oct. 2018 There’s a way certain things—death, extreme poverty—are deemed so tragic that they cannot be profaned, they can only be spoken of reverently or seriously. Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2017
Adjective
Using vulgar, profane or indecent language in a loud or boisterous manner in the presence of children. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2024 No profane outbursts occurred during WEF annual meeting The WEF brings together leaders from politics, business and culture to discuss global challenges. Joedy McCreary, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024 The commingling of the sacred and profane in Byron’s mature verse has no single root cause, but any inquiries should start with May Gray. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 But multiple commentators, after being called upon, used offensive and profane language and continued to do so despite warnings from the city attorney. Erika I. Ritchie, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024 To represent this to an American audience, the playwright has the characters speak in unaccented English of a conversational (and occasionally profane) variety when communicating in their native tongue. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Quanta Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 That may seem like a profane addition to this Southern stew typically made with chicken, rabbit or squirrel plus tomatoes, butter beans, corn, potatoes and onions. Andrea Weigl, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Its dialogue isn’t faster, more profane, or more hyped than other movies. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'profane.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English prophanen, from Anglo-French prophaner, from Latin profanare, from profanus

Adjective

Middle English prophane, from Middle French, from Latin profanus, from pro- before + fanum temple — more at pro-, feast

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of profane was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near profane

Cite this Entry

“Profane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profane. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

profane

1 of 2 verb
pro·​fane prō-ˈfān How to pronounce profane (audio)
prə-
profaned; profaning
1
: to treat (something sacred) with great disrespect
2
: to put to a wrong or vulgar use : debase
profanation
ˌpräf-ə-ˈnā-shən
ˌprō-fə-
noun
profanatory
prō-ˈfan-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

profane

2 of 2 adjective
1
: not concerned with religion or religious purposes : secular, worldly
2
: showing no respect for holy things
profane language
profanely adverb

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