des·e·crate

(dĕs′ĭ-krāt′)

tr.v. des·e·crat·ed, des·e·crat·ing, des·e·crates

To violate the sacredness of; profane.

des′e·crat′er, des′e·cra′tor n.

des′e·cra′tion n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

desecration - blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character; "desecration of the Holy Sabbath"

profanation, sacrilege, blasphemy

irreverence, violation - a disrespectful act

desecration

noun violation, blasphemy, sacrilege, debasement, defilement, impiety, profanation The whole area has been shocked by the desecration of the cemetery.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

desecration

noun

An act of disrespect or impiety toward something regarded as sacred:

blasphemy, profanation, sacrilege, violation.

Translations

violazione

desecration

[ˌdesɪˈkreɪʃən] N → profanación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

desecration

[ˌdɛsɪˈkreɪʃ^ən] n [holy place] → profanation f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

desecration

n → Entweihung f, → Schändung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

desecration

[ˌdɛsɪˈkreɪʃ/ən] n → profanazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

There were, it is true, some rigid individuals unable to rise to the height of such a question, who saw in the project a desecration of the sacrament of marriage, but there were not many such and they remained silent, while the majority were interested in Helene's good fortune and in the question which match would be the more advantageous.

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Tambo!" shrieked the cannibals from the trees, appalled at so awful a desecration, as they saw their chief tumbled into the tub and the sacred dirt rubbed and soused from his body.

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"I am willing to be patient in all things that are reasonable, but in this, this desecration of the grave, of one who.

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It was desecration enough to kneel and timidly raise the gracious little hand to your lips.

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In her pure and earnest mind her mother's memory was enshrined as that of a saint, and the thought that any one should take her place seemed a terrible desecration. Even worse, however, did this marriage appear when looked at from the point of view of her father's future.

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It IS out-of-the-way, so it's likely some poor, shiftless, wandering family will rent it--and over-run it--and oh, that would be desecration. It would hurt me horribly."

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Rebecca was entirely surprised at the sight of the comfortable old house where she had met with no small kindness, ransacked by brokers and bargainers, and its quiet family treasures given up to public desecration and plunder.

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The low thunder, muttering in all quarters of the sky at once, seemed to threaten vengeance for this attempted desecration, and to mutter, 'Let them rest!

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On the other hand, he entered with all the comprehension of a man who had known spiritual conflict, and lived through years of devoted service to his fellow-men, into that state of Maggie's heart and conscience which made the consent to the marriage a desecration to her; her conscience must not be tampered with; the principle on which she had acted was a safer guide than any balancing of consequences.

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It seemed like desecration, but then we had traveled far, and our necessities were urgent.

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Al-tan has agreed to aid Du-seen against the Galus of Jor; but there are many of us who have combined to rise against Al-tan and prevent this ruthless desecration of the laws and customs of the Kro-lu and of Caspak.

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A feeling of pain crept over him as he thought of the desecration that was in store for the fair face on the canvas.

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