profanation
Defiling holy things
Profanation is the act of treating something sacred or revered with irreverence or disrespect.
It suggests violation of the sanctity of religious objects, places, or rituals—desecrating a shrine, for instance, or using holy symbols in degrading ways.
The term extends beyond religion to describe the corruption of anything held in high esteem: The commercialization of the holiday felt like a profanation of its original meaning.
Profanation carries a tone of moral condemnation that mere disrespect does not.
Violation of the hallowed
- defilementAct of corrupting purity
- violationBreaking of rules
- vandalismWillful property damage
- spoliationDestruction or plundering
defacement · dishonor · corruption · tainting · pollution · contamination · abuse · ruination
Violation of the hallowed
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- impietyIrreverence toward the divine
- irreverenceDisregard for what's honored
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
iconoclasm · cursing · swearing · anathema · godlessness · ungodliness · sinfulness · transgression
sacrilege
Violation of the hallowed
- defilementAct of corrupting purity
- violationBreaking of rules
- vandalismWillful property damage
spoliation · defacement · dishonor · corruption · tainting · pollution · contamination · abuse · ruination · destruction
sacrilege
Violation of the hallowed
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- impietyIrreverence toward the divine
- irreverenceDisregard for what's honored
apostasy · iconoclasm · cursing · swearing · anathema · godlessness · ungodliness · sinfulness · transgression · offense
disrespect
Lack of regard
derision · ridicule · disdain · flippancy · impertinence · insolence · impudence · cheekiness · audacity · cynicism
- impietyungodliness, unholiness, irreverence, sacrilege, blasphemy
- church offensesheresy, apostasy, schism, blasphemy, sacrilege
- forbidden actsblasphemy, idolatry, sacrilege, adultery, incest
- RabelaisianGargantua, carnivalesque, ribaldry, bawdiness, scatology
- sacrilegeblasphemy, desecration, idol worship, idolatry, cursing God
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
profanationsanctification
Making someone or something sacred
consecration · veneration · reverence · worship · adoration
profane, profanity, profaned, profaning, profanes, profanities, profaneness, profanely