Profaning — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /prō-ˈfān/ pro·fane

Meaning & Definition of Profaning

Profaning (verb)

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

Profaning (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories"

    similar: abasing, bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing, depraving, deteriorating, lessening, perverting, poisoning, prostituting, subverting, vitiating, warping
    related: befouling, begriming, contaminating, defiling, diluting, dirtying, polluting, tainting, thinning, watering down, weakening, descending, disgracing, dishonoring, humbling, humiliating, shaming, taking down, blemishing, damaging, defacing, destroying, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, marring, ruining, spoiling, staining, tarnishing, wrecking, depreciating, downgrading
    opposite: elevating, ennobling, uplifting
    near: dignifying, exalting, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring, respecting

  2. to put to a bad or improper use

    "profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies"

    similar: abusing, misapplying, misemploying, misusing, perverting, prostituting
    related: degrading, twisting, mismanaging, corrupting, debasing, desecrating
    near: applying, employing, using, utilizing, respecting

  3. to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect

    "invading troops profaned the altar by playing poker on it"

    similar: defiling, desecrating, violating
    related: deconsecrating, desacralizing, desanctifying, blaspheming, cursing, swearing, befouling, contaminating, fouling, poisoning, polluting, soiling, sullying, tainting, affronting, defaming, insulting, offending, outraging, annihilating, crushing, decimating, demolishing, desolating, destroying, devastating, ravaging, razing, ruining, wasting, wrecking, despoiling, looting, pillaging, plundering, raiding, ransacking, robbing, sacking, spoiling, stripping
    near: blessing, consecrating, dedicating, hallowing, sanctifying, honoring, respecting, cleansing, purging, purifying

Related Entry: Profane (verb)

Profane is a different word from Profaning. The synonyms below are for profane, not for profaning.

  1. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories"

    similar: abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
    related: befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken, descend, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down, blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck, depreciate, downgrade
    opposite: elevate, ennoble, uplift
    near: dignify, exalt, honor, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore, respect

  2. to put to a bad or improper use

    "profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies"

    similar: abuse, misapply, misemploy, misuse, pervert, prostitute
    related: degrade, twist, mismanage, corrupt, debase, desecrate
    near: apply, employ, use, utilize, respect

  3. to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect

    "invading troops profaned the altar by playing poker on it"

    similar: defile, desecrate, violate
    related: deconsecrate, desacralize, desanctify, blaspheme, curse, swear, befoul, contaminate, foul, poison, pollute, soil, sully, taint, affront, defame, insult, offend, outrage, annihilate, crush, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, ravage, raze, ruin, waste, wreck, despoil, loot, pillage, plunder, raid, ransack, rob, sack, spoil, strip
    near: bless, consecrate, dedicate, hallow, sanctify, honor, respect, cleanse, purge, purify

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Profaning

The most common words with a similar meaning to Profaning:

abasing, bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing, depraving, deteriorating, lessening, perverting, poisoning, prostituting, subverting, vitiating, warping, abusing, misapplying, misemploying, misusing, defiling, desecrating, violating

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Profaning

Words with the opposite meaning of Profaning:

elevating, ennobling, uplifting

Related Words for Profaning

befouling, begriming, contaminating, diluting, dirtying, polluting, tainting, thinning, watering down, weakening, descending, disgracing, dishonoring, humbling, humiliating, shaming, taking down, blemishing, damaging, defacing, destroying, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, marring, ruining, spoiling, staining, tarnishing

Near Antonyms of Profaning

dignifying, exalting, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring, respecting, applying, employing, using, utilizing, blessing, consecrating, dedicating, hallowing, sanctifying, purging

Word Forms of Profaning

Inflections: profaned

Derived words: profaner (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Profaning

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

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Profaning

What does "Profaning" mean?

"Profaning" means to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt, desecrate. As a verb, it is defined as: to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt, desecrate. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Profaning"?

Other words for "Profaning" include abasing, bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching and degrading. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Profaning" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Profaning"?

There are 93 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Profaning". Common alternatives include abasing, bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning and demoralizing.

What is the opposite of "Profaning"?

Antonyms of "Profaning" include elevating, ennobling and uplifting. Near antonyms include dignifying, exalting, honoring and ameliorating.

How do you use "Profaning" in a sentence?

Examples of "Profaning" in a sentence: "the once-lovely landscape had been profaned by ugly factories"; "profaned his considerable acting talents by appearing in some wretched movies"; "invading troops profaned the altar by playing poker on it".

Is "Profaning" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Profaning" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Profaning"?

"Profaning" is pronounced /prō-ˈfān/ and divided into syllables as pro·fane.

What is the origin of the word "Profaning"?

"Profaning" comes from Middle English prophanen, from Anglo-French prophaner, from Latin profanare, from profanus. First known use: 15th century.