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Profanation vs Desecration vs Sacrilege vs Blasphemy

Profanation, desecrationsacrilegeblasphemy can all mean a violation or a misuse of something regarded as sacred.

Profanation applies to an irreverent outrage shocking to those who cherish and hold sacred the thing mistreated; although it may suggest base callousness, it often applies to vulgar intrusion or insensitive irreverence (as of vandals).

Desecration applies especially to any action whereby sacred character is impaired or lost; often it indicates loss of that character through defilement, often malicious or malign and culpable.

Sacrilege may refer technically to reception or administration of a religious sacrament by one unworthy; it refers commonly to any outrageous profanation.

Blasphemy (see also BLASPHEMY 1 ); (compare blasphemous under IMPIOUS ) may refer to any strong irreverence, often one involving or suggesting reviling, defying, mocking, or otherwise treating with indignity something sacred.