What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between profane and worldly?

profane | worldly | Synonyms |

Worldly is a antonym of profane.

Worldly is a synonym of profane.



As adjectives the difference between profane and worldly

is that profane is unclean; ritually impure; unholy, desecrating a holy place or thing while worldly is concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.

As a noun profane

is a person or thing that is profane.

As a verb profane

is to violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God.

As an adverb worldly is

in a worldly manner.

profane

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Unclean; ritually impure; unholy, desecrating a holy place or thing.
  • * Sir Walter Raleigh
  • Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things.
  • Not sacred or holy, unconsecrated; relating to non-religious matters, secular.
  • * I. Disraeli
  • profane authors
  • * Gibbon
  • The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine.
  • Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; blasphemous, impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue.
  • a profane person, word, oath, or tongue
  • * Bible, 1 Timothy 1:9
  • Synonyms

    * (obscene) vulgar, inappropriate, obscene, debased, uncouth, offensive, ignoble, mean, lewd * secular * temporal * worldly * unsanctified * unhallowed * unholy * irreligious * irreverent * ungodly * wicked * godless * impious

    Antonyms

    * holy * sacred

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or thing that is profane.
  • * 1796 , Matthew Lewis, The Monk , Folio Society 1985, p. 244:
  • The nuns were employed in religious duties established in honour of St Clare, and to which no profane was ever admitted.
  • (freemasonry) A person not a Mason.
  • Verb

    (profan)
  • To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God.
  • * 1851 ,
  • With one mind, their intent eyes all fastened upon the old man’s knife, as he carved the chief dish before him. I do not suppose that for the world they would have profaned that moment with the slightest observation, even upon so neutral a topic as the weather.
  • To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile.
  • Antonyms

    * consecrate * sanctify

    worldly

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical as opposed to spiritual.
  • * 1868 , , Part Two, Chapter Twenty-four: Gossip,
  • These attributes, in spite of poverty and the strict integrity which shut him out from the more worldly successes, attracted to him many admirable persons, as naturally as sweet herbs draw bees, and as naturally he gave them the honey into which fifty years of hard experience had distilled no bitter drop.
  • * , Book 1: Adi Parva, Section LXXXV,
  • Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be given up. Indeed, true happiness belongeth to them that have cast off their thirst for worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the wicked and the sinful, which faileth not with the failing life, and which is truly the fatal disease of man.
  • * 1889 , , Chapter VIII,
  • The conviction that my personal, worldly life was something real and good constituted the misunderstanding, the obstacle, that prevented me from comprehending Jesus doctrine.
  • * 1910 , , Chapter 1, part 3,
  • We have actually contrived to invent a new kind of hypocrite. The old hypocrite, Tartuffe or Pecksniff, was a man whose aims were really worldly' and practical, while he pretended that they were religious. The new hypocrite is one whose aims are really religious, while he pretends that they are ' worldly and practical.
  • Concerned with secular rather than sacred matters.
  • Sophisticated, especially because of surfeit; versed in the ways of the world.
  • Synonyms

    * material, mundane * (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) lay, profane * (versed in the ways of the world) sophisticated, street-smart

    Antonyms

    * otherworldly, spiritual * (concerned with the secular rather than sacred) clerical, religious, sacred * (versed in the ways of the world) naive

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a worldly manner.
  • Derived terms

    * worldly-wise