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blasphemous

blasphemous

20 8.4
Showing disrespect for things people consider holy
  • adjective
  • /blæsˈfɛməs/
  • Offensive
translation icon : blasfemo
  • The absurdities that they spew now are blasphemous and amazing in their cleverness.
  • blasphemous act
  • blasphemous and obscene
  • considered blasphemous

The Islamic standpoint on our Lord and Saviour is the most blasphemous and egregious, that he is not God.

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Examples

  • Writers are free to publish blasphemous books, plays, and poems.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Melville's work was too metaphysical and blasphemous for this conservative reviewer.

    Academic text (2004)
  • It's a terrible suggestion, almost blasphemous.

  • This is a blasphemous venture, brother St. Hillaire.

  • Some, I suspect, would find it blasphemous, though the idea of man healing God is outrageous.

  • How can I write something so outrageous, so blasphemous, so contrary to church teachings?

    Academic text (1998)
  • Seeking to compete with North American baseball, or as it called itself, "organized baseball," was blasphemous and unthinkable.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Preserving tradition with the sacrifice of its living bearers seems at best unreasonable, at worst blasphemous.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Many in the community found the artist's latest work to be blasphemous for its depictions of sacred figures.

  • The professor was criticized for making blasphemous remarks about religious beliefs during the lecture.

Synonyms

disrespectful
vsblasphemous
121 3.0

Not polite to someone, for example interrupting them

is specific to sacred or holy matters rather than general rudeness
profane
vsblasphemous
  • NSFW
14 7.7

Showing no respect for holy things and often using rude words

focuses on disrespect specifically toward sacred or holy things
sacrilegious
vsblasphemous
12 9.0

Showing great disrespect to things people consider sacred

shows lack of reverence but not necessarily gross or extreme in nature
impious
vsblasphemous
  • Formal
3 9.6

Not showing respect for God or sacred things

applies to lack of reverence for sacred things in general, not only religion
profanatory
vsblasphemous
9.9

Showing disrespect for things people think are holy

focuses on showing disrespect or lack of reverence without physical violation

Antonyms

218 4.3

People respect and treat it as very important

10 6.1

Showing deep respect, often during religious or formal events

How Irreverent

sacrilegious
12 9.0
blasphemous
  • Offensive
20 8.4
irreverent
19 7.2
respectful
150 1.1

Surface Forms

blasphemous positive
blasphemous comparative
blasphemous superlative

Morphology

blasphemous = blaspheme (transparent) = blaspheme + ous

The adjective is a standard derivation from the verb 'blaspheme' with '-ous' meaning 'characterized by', so the meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

The word blasphemous comes from a Greek word blasphemein that meant 'to speak evil' or 'to hurt by speaking'. So something called blasphemous is a word or act that attacks or shows disrespect for what people see as 'sacred'.