profound Meaning & Definition
What Does Profound Mean?
As an adjective, profound means Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep. It is also used to mean Very deep; very serious. As a noun, it means The deep; the sea; the ocean. As a verb, it means To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
Profound at a Glance
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /pɹəˈfaʊnd/ |
| Synonyms | significant, intense and fundamental |
| Antonyms | superficial |
| Comparative / superlative | more profound, most profound |
| Verb forms | profounds, profounding, profounded |
Profound Definition (Adjective)
- Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
- Very deep; very serious.
- Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough.
a profound investigation
- Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading.
- Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive.
Profound as a Noun
- The deep; the sea; the ocean.
- An abyss.
Profound as a Verb
- To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
- To dive deeply; to penetrate.
Synonyms of Profound
Antonyms of Profound
Profound in a Sentence
a profound investigation
a profound scholar
profound wisdom
Word Forms & Grammar
profound (comparative more profound or profounder, superlative most profound or profoundest)
profound (uncountable)
profound (third-person singular simple present profounds, present participle profounding, simple past and past participle profounded)
Words That Rhyme With Profound
Origin of Profound
Origin 1: From Middle English profound, profounde, from Anglo-Norman profound, from Old French profont, profonde, from Latin profundus (“deep, profound”), from prō + fundus (“bottom; foundation”).
Origin 2: Inherited from Middle English profounden, from Middle French profonder (from profond) and Medieval Latin profundāre (from profundus).
Frequently Asked Questions About Profound
Is profound an adjective or a noun?
Profound is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for profound?
Words with a similar meaning to profound include significant, intense and fundamental. See the full list of profound synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of profound?
The opposite of profound is superficial.
What is the past tense of profound?
The past tense of profound is profounded. The present participle is profounding.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of profound?
The comparative form is more profound and the superlative form is most profound.