What does "profound" mean?
The deep; the sea; the ocean.
Profound
/pɹəˈfaʊnd/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The deep; the sea; the ocean.
- Grammar: profound is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: absolute, absorbing, abstract, abstract system.
- Useful contrasts: facile, feeble attempt, inane.
- Usage evidence: Freud's insights into human behavior led to him being honored as a profound thinker.
How to use "profound"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "profound" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "profound" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "profound" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "profound" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "profound" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absolute" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "profound", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The deep; the sea; the ocean. obsolete, uncountable
"God, in the fathomlesse profound / Hath all his choice Commanders drown'd."
- 2 An abyss. obsolete, uncountable
"[…]if some other place, / From your dominion won, th' Ethereal King / Possesses lately, thither to arrive / travel this profound. Direct my course[…]"
Verb
- 1 To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down. obsolete
- 2 To dive deeply; to penetrate. obsolete
"But no man is likely to profound tbe Ocean of that Doctrine"
Adjective
- 1 Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
"A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog"
- 2 Very deep; very serious.
- 3 Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough.
"a profound investigation"
- 4 Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading.
"How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?"
- 5 Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive.
"And with this, and a profound bow to his patrons, the Manager retires, and the curtain rises."
Adjective
- 1 situated at or extending to great depth; too deep to have been sounded or plumbed wordnet
- 2 (of sleep) deep and complete wordnet
- 3 coming from deep within one wordnet
- 4 of the greatest intensity; complete wordnet
- 5 showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect especially on the nature of something wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Freud's insights into human behavior led to him being honored as a profound thinker."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "profound"?
Common synonyms include: absolute, absorbing, abstract, abstract system, abstruse, abysmal.
How do you use "profound" in a sentence?
Freud's insights into human behavior led to him being honored as a profound thinker.
How do you pronounce "profound"?
Pronounced /pɹəˈfaʊnd/.
Etymology
From Middle English profound, profounde, from Anglo-Norman profound, from Old French profont, profonde, from Latin profundus (“deep, profound”), from prō + fundus (“bottom; foundation”).