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
To approximate that art entirely by proxy, without confronting the drama, is to desecrate it.
—
Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 17 June 2025
Through its four-season run, The O.C. managed to celebrate (or desecrate) every single holiday or occasion imaginable.
—Marianne Eloise, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Anyone who desecrates these sacred places will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Now 23, Aponte pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge as part of a plea deal that saw prosecutors drop additional counts against her, including endangering, hindering, and disturbing or desecrating human remains, court records show.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 17 June 2025
Through its four-season run, The O.C. managed to celebrate (or desecrate) every single holiday or occasion imaginable.
—Marianne Eloise, Vulture, 11 June 2025
Anyone who desecrates these sacred places will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Now 23, Aponte pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge as part of a plea deal that saw prosecutors drop additional counts against her, including endangering, hindering, and disturbing or desecrating human remains, court records show.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desecrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desecrate
violate
Verb
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Polish airspace was violated by at least 19 Russian drones overnight, the country's prime minister said, in a torrent of activity that triggered a response from the NATO country's air force, which scrambled and downed several of the drones.—
Will Gretsky,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
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In a 21-page ruling, Talwani found that ICE holding an 18-year-old migrant arrested on charges of shoplifting without a bond hearing violated his due process rights.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desecrate. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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