blasphemy
C1formal
Definition
Meaning
Speech or action that shows disrespect or irreverence towards God or something sacred.
Profoundly disrespectful or contemptuous speech or action towards any deeply held belief, principle, or person considered inviolable.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically a serious, often criminal offense against religion; in secular use, indicates a severe violation of respect for an idea or institution. Carries strong moral judgment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in definition. The legal status of blasphemy as an offense is more historically present in UK common law but is now largely obsolete in both contexts.
Connotations
Equally strong negative connotations in both varieties. The word is more likely to appear in discussions of religion, law, and freedom of speech than in casual conversation.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech for both, but slightly higher in UK media due to historical legal context and established church.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[blasphemy] against [god/religion/sacred thing]to commit [blasphemy]an act of [blasphemy]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It is blasphemy to suggest...”
- “To say that would be blasphemy.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; used metaphorically: 'Calling our founder incompetent is corporate blasphemy.'
Academic
Common in religious studies, history, law, and literature discussing sacrilege or free speech.
Everyday
Used hyperbolically for strong disagreement: 'Putting ketchup on a steak is blasphemy!'
Technical
In theology and law, a precise term for speech/acts insulting to God or the sacred.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was accused of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
- It is a crime to blaspheme in some jurisdictions.
American English
- They said he blasphemed God with his statements.
- The comedian was criticized for blaspheming religious figures.
adverb
British English
- He spoke blasphemously about the sacrament.
- The text was blasphemously altered.
American English
- They joked blasphemously about the creation story.
- The character behaved blasphemously in the holy site.
adjective
British English
- His blasphemous remarks caused widespread offence.
- The play was banned for its blasphemous content.
American English
- She was fired for her blasphemous social media post.
- The artist's blasphemous imagery sparked protests.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The priest said that was blasphemy.
- In the story, the man was punished for blasphemy.
- In the past, blasphemy was a serious crime in many countries.
- Calling the prophet a liar is considered blasphemy by believers.
- The filmmaker was accused of blasphemy for his controversial depiction of a saint.
- The law against blasphemy is rarely enforced in modern secular societies.
- The writer argued that the very concept of blasphemy is incompatible with robust freedom of expression.
- His thesis explored the shifting legal definitions of blasphemy from the medieval period to the present day.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BLASPHEMY' = 'Blast' + 'Enemy' – Blasting your enemy (God/sacred things) with disrespectful words.
Conceptual Metaphor
IRREVERENCE IS A CRIME / DISRESPECT IS POLLUTION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with simple 'swearing' (мат/ругань). Blasphemy is specifically about sacred matters. The closer Russian concept is 'богохульство' or 'святотатство'. 'Кошерность' is unrelated (it means 'kosher-ness').
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He blasphemed against his teacher.' (Too weak/not sacred). Correct: 'He spoke blasphemy against the church.'
- Misspelling: 'blasphemey', 'blasphamy'.
- Confusing noun 'blasphemy' with verb 'blaspheme'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST example of blasphemy?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, yes. Its core meaning concerns disrespect towards God or the sacred. However, in modern secular use, it is often used hyperbolically to describe profound disrespect towards any deeply cherished idea or principle (e.g., 'It's blasphemy to change the classic recipe').
They are closely related synonyms. 'Blasphemy' typically refers to disrespectful speech or utterance against the sacred. 'Sacrilege' often refers to a disrespectful action involving something physically sacred (like vandalizing a church) or a violation of a sacred principle. In practice, they are often used interchangeably.
No, 'blasphemy' is a noun. The related verb is 'to blaspheme'. The adjective is 'blasphemous', and the adverb is 'blasphemously'.
Yes, in many countries, particularly with state religions or conservative religious majorities, blasphemy laws still exist, though enforcement varies. In most Western secular democracies, such laws have been repealed or are dormant, as they conflict with principles of free speech.
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