The profane language used on network television makes many parents with young children not want to subscribe to cable.
Source: tatoeba (1960)
Profane
Synonyms for "profane" (209 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (42)
Verb(4 words)
abuseabusiveapostateatheisticbackslidingbadbasebawdybefoulblasphemousbluecalumniatorycalumniouscarnalcarnal-mindedcoarsecomminatorycommit sacrilegecommoncontaminate
Show 7 more words
Noun(4 words)
Strong matches (63)
Related words (104)
maladministermaledictorymaterialmaterialisticmisapplymisappropriatemisemploymishandlemismanagemisusemundanenastynaughtynonsacredobsceneoff coloroutrageouspaganpeculatepervert
Show 57 more words
philistinepilferpolluteprofanatoryprostituterabelaisianraunchyrawrecidivistrecidivisticrecreantrenegadereprobateribaldrisquesacrilegiousscatologicscatologicalscurrilescurriloussecularsinfulsmuttytabootainttemporalterrestrialthe fleshlythe mundanethe profanethe secularthe temporalthe unholythe worldlytrefunbelievingunblesseduncleanuncouthundutifulungodlyunhallowedunholyunmentionableunprintableunregenerateunsacredunsanctifiedunspiritualvenomousvileviolatevitiatevituperativevulgarwickedworldly
Determiner(1 words)
most earthly traits
Adjective(17 words)
Noun(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: desecrate, secular, abuse, abusive, apostate.
- Sentence evidence is available for profane, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "profane".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "profane"
Keep "profane" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "profane" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "profane", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "profane" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
16 entriesMore specific
10 entriescurse wordcurse wordsdesecrationearthly pleasuresfoul languagenonreligious educationprofanitiessacrilegesecular musicswear words
Collocations
11 entriesprofane actprofane actsprofane behaviorprofane expressionprofane jokeprofane languageprofane speechprofane templeprofane termsprofane topicprofane words
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
12 entriesSample sentences
22 total sentences available.
We call scriptures the sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.
Source: tatoeba (3146995)
Know then that in the time of the Great Rebellion this Manor of Baskerville was held by Hugo of that name, nor can it be gainsaid that he was a most wild, profane, and godless man.
Source: tatoeba (6605705)
"But when Ulysses, fain / to weave new crimes, with Tydeus' impious son / dragged the Palladium from her sacred fane, / and, on the citadel the warders slain, / upon the virgin's image dared to lay / red hands of slaughter, and her wreaths profane, / hope ebbed and failed them from that fatal day, / the Danaans' strength grew weak, the goddess turned away. / No dubious signs Tritonia's wrath declared."
Source: tatoeba (6813957)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "profane"?
Closest matches include desecrate, secular, abuse, abusive, apostate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "profane"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.