as in to violate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
vandals desecrated the cemetery last night by covering the tombstones with graffiti
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Recent Examples of desecrate
What's more, ancient Assyrian artifacts located in the historic Nimrud and Tikrit were desecrated or outright destroyed by ISIS militants.
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Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
His product must contain alcohol; selling a beverage without alcohol would amount to desecrating his own profession.
—Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
The Greeks, led by King Antiochus IV, had sought to suppress Jewish religious practices, outlawed the observance of Judaism, and desecrated the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
—Gail Swedroe, Austin American-Statesman, 19 Dec. 2024
In the past year, for example, there have been reports of the Israeli military desecrating cemeteries in Gaza, as well as corpses left in the streets for stray dogs to scavenge.
—Tyler McBrien, The Dial, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
His product must contain alcohol; selling a beverage without alcohol would amount to desecrating his own profession.
—Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
The Greeks, led by King Antiochus IV, had sought to suppress Jewish religious practices, outlawed the observance of Judaism, and desecrated the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
—Gail Swedroe, Austin American-Statesman, 19 Dec. 2024
In the past year, for example, there have been reports of the Israeli military desecrating cemeteries in Gaza, as well as corpses left in the streets for stray dogs to scavenge.
—Tyler McBrien, The Dial, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Cite this Entry
“Desecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecrate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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