Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about Profound (AI summary)

The word profound is used in literature to evoke a sense of great depth and intensity in both tangible and intangible realms. Authors apply it to describe physical attributes—a gaze filled with deep mystery ([1]), an enveloping silence that charges a scene with tragic importance ([2], [3]), or even the quiet fold of slumber ([4], [5])—while also extending its meaning to internal states such as earnest admiration ([6]), reflective melancholy ([7]), or intellectual depth and gravitas ([8], [9]). In this way, profound becomes a versatile descriptor that encapsulates both the measurable and the ineffable, enriching character portrayals and setting powerful emotional tones throughout literary works.
  1. Never had her eyes been so large, so black, of so profound a depth.
    — from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
  2. A profound silence followed the statement.
    — from The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar by Maurice Leblanc
  3. After which, there was a profound silence.
    — from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
  4. He has fallen into a profound slumber, which doubtless will be of service to him.
    — from The Monk: A Romance by M. G. Lewis
  5. The castle was enveloped in a profound calm; it was a peaceful dawn on the bosom of a tranquil river.
    — from The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar by Maurice Leblanc
  6. So it was natural that, having made Sara's acquaintance, she should sit and stare at her with profound admiration.
    — from A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  7. Anna Mikháylovna turned up her eyes, and profound sadness was depicted on her face.
    — from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
  8. It is a study, a very profound study of moral development in one character and of moral degeneracy in another.
    — from English Literature by William J. Long
  9. So the process by which the immigrant makes the transition from the old country to the new involves profound changes in thought and habit.
    — from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux