noun
-
the state or quality of being profane
-
vulgar or irreverent action, speech, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of profanity
From the Late Latin word profānitās, dating back to 1600–10. See profane, -ity
Explanation
Profanity is a type of language that includes dirty words and ideas. Swear words, obscene gestures, and naughty jokes are all considered profanity. You know those four-letter words you're not supposed to say? They're profanity: language that's vulgar and obscene. R-rated movies and cable stations like HBO have a lot of profanity, but you won't hear it on a station like NBC or ABC. Profanity tends to be about off-color subjects, like sex and going to the bathroom. Everyone probably spews some profanity at some point, but you better be careful about who's listening.
Vocabulary lists containing profanity
"Only Daughter" and "Calling a Foul"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Odd One Out
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Red Pony
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But many of India's Gen Z do not see profanity in the same way.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
He was like, “Well, Bonnie’s willing to do the song as long as there’s no profanity because she’s not a profane person.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Speaking to the Post, historian Julian Zelizer called Trump historically unique in his use of profanity and how it “meshes with a very aggressive presidency” and a high-dominant leadership style.
From Salon ● May 26, 2026
She said she volunteered in November to mediate the meetings, instructing residents to wait their turn to speak or rephrase their questions without profanity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026
Afterward, they regroup in the living room for board games and goofy improvisation contests, all free of profanity and even double entendre.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
When one of China's biggest stand-up comedians opened his show with a joke about the extraordinarily long rule of the country's leader Xi Jinping, it drew a cheer, alongside a smattering of approving profanities.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Still, Fetterman — known for his blunt and irreverent talk — generally confined his profanities to his writings on social media when describing his disdain for, say, Pennsylvania’s relatively low minimum wage.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 25, 2024
So as I talked about in the book, with respect to coarse words and profanities, there was actually an Obscenities Act.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2023
In addition to profanities and other inappropriate words, The Intercept says it would also include “unfair,” “master,” “slave,” “injustice,” “ethics,” “diversity,” “fairness,” “pay raise,” and phrases like “This is dumb” or “This is concerning.”
From The Verge ● Apr. 4, 2022
Madame de Genlis was therefore perfectly right when she declaimed against the freedoms and profanities of Voltaire.
From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 02 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Kuno Francke
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
