The difference between Defile and Sanctify

When used as verbs, defile means to make unclean, dirty, or impure, whereas sanctify means to make holy.


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

check bellow for the other definitions of Defile and Sanctify

  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. Sanctify as a verb (transitive):

    To make holy; to consecrate. Set aside for sacred or ceremonial use.

  2. Sanctify as a verb (transitive):

    To free from sin; to purify.

  3. Sanctify as a verb (transitive):

    To make acceptable or useful under religious law or practice.

  4. Sanctify as a verb (transitive):

    To endorse with religious sanction.