desecrating 1 of 3

adjective

as in blasphemous

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

desecrating

2 of 3

noun

as in desecration

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

desecrating

3 of 3

verb

present participle of desecrate
as in violating
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desecrating
Verb
The next day, February 9th, Nakira was charged with first-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, desecrating human remains, and tampering with physical evidence. — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 The judge is desecrating the memory of the Great Charlie Kirk, while taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to. — Adam Sabes , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 French’s post provoked social media responses calling for violence against Indians and desecrating Hindu temples. — Arun Brahmbhatt, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 French's post led to a flurry of other posts on social media calling for violence against Indian communities, including desecrating Hindu temples and statues. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Without criminal consequences, operators who profit from desecrating the dead have nothing to fear. — Susana Mendoza, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026 But as building efforts have ramped up, the administration has run into opposition from landowners, environmental groups, and Native American tribes who say construction is violating property rights and desecrating sacred Indigenous sites. — Mikella Schuettler, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 After desecrating the statue, the vandal returns the hammer to his pocket, scales the fence and flees into the night, the footage shows. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 After desecrating a sacred hunting ground in their youth, four Blackfeet men are visited by dire consequences in adulthood. — Hannah Whitten, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desecrating
  1. blasphemous
  2. desecration
  3. violating
  4. sacrilegious
  5. wrecking
  6. profane
  7. destruction
  8. irreverent
Adjective
  • The publication led to global outrage, with many Muslims finding the depictions highly offensive and blasphemous.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The image of him, his attire a blasphemous betrayal of the wholesome fun a clown costume promises, and with vibrant, colorful balloons in his hand, lingers in our minds for a long time.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of blasphemous
Noun
  • The gang steals sacred objects, but their movements around them can resemble ceremony not desecration.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • These are two examples of politicians' truths among a plethora of others that are really lies, distortions, deceptions and desecrations of the citizens' trust in them.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of desecration
Verb
  • Charlotte’s water utility has fielded about 18 complaints a day of people violating mandatory water restrictions in place since mid-May, when the region was facing an extreme drought crisis.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Just before kickoff, the Tide confirmed that Kirkpatrick was suspended for violating team rules.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of violating
Adjective
  • The tweak The Improper Pig made to a coveted Southern brunch dish might be considered sacrilegious in some kitchens, but the result is a delicious argument for bending tradition.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
  • As sacrilegious as this might sound to devout Bears fans, Johnson was equipped inside Halas Hall this offseason with Green Bay Packers highlights as a teach tape.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacrilegious
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrecking
Adjective
  • Seaver acknowledged being overly crude and profane in his messages to Nozell.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • People who post puerile, profane or belittling comments are protesters on a virtual street.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of profane
Noun
  • About 90% of the city was flooded ​following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, according to the White House.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The suspect, 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano of Stafford, Virginia, has been charged with felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage, and felony injury to a monument, court records show.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Adjective
  • Basquiat carries over all five of Leonardo’s heads, along with the drawing’s irreverent edge.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This meta-adaptation of the 1953 musical, already an irreverent take on the century’s earlier stage spectacles, was another early hit for the director.
    — Juan A. Ramírez, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of irreverent

Browse Nearby Words

desecrates
desecrating
desecration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desecrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecrating. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All