The difference between Defile and Desecrate

When used as verbs, defile means to make unclean, dirty, or impure, whereas desecrate means to profane or violate the sacredness or sanctity of something.

Defile is also noun with the meaning: a narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains.

Desecrate is also adjective with the meaning: desecrated.

check bellow for the other definitions of Defile and Desecrate

  1. Defile as a verb (transitive):

    To make unclean, dirty, or impure; soil; befoul.

  2. Defile as a verb (transitive):

    To vandalize or add inappropriate contents to something considered sacred or special; desecrate

    Examples:

    "To urinate on someone's grave is an example of a way to defile it."

  3. Defile as a verb (transitive):

    To deprive or ruin someone's (sexual) purity or chastity, often not consensually; stain; tarnish; mar; rape

    Examples:

    "The serial rapist kidnapped and defiled a six-year-old girl."

  1. Defile as a noun:

    A narrow way or passage, e.g. between mountains

  2. Defile as a noun:

    A single file, such as of soldiers.

  3. Defile as a noun:

    The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.

  1. Defile as a verb (archaic, intransitive):

    To march in a single file.

  1. Desecrate as a verb (transitive):

    To profane or violate the sacredness or sanctity of something.

  2. Desecrate as a verb (transitive):

    To remove the consecration from someone or something; to deconsecrate.

  3. Desecrate as a verb (transitive):

    To change in an inappropriate and destructive way.

  1. Desecrate as an adjective (rare):

    Desecrated.

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