profound
gb/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd/ us/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd/
B2
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Having deep insight or knowledge
Having a very deep and smart way of thinking or understanding things.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has/provides a profound [insight/understanding/effect]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'profound' with 'profuse', which means abundant. They are unrelated in meaning.
Synonyms
deep (Commonly used to describe thought or feeling that is serious and meaningful but less formal than 'profound'.)
|
thoughtful (Suggests careful thinking, but not necessarily as intense or far-reaching as 'profound'.)
Antonyms
superficial (Describes something shallow or lacking in depth, the opposite of 'profound' in intellectual or emotional terms.)
Collocations
profound effect
|profound understanding
|profound impact
|profound insight
|profound change
Themes
intellect
|emotions
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her speech had a profound effect on everyone in the audience.
- The book offers a profound analysis of modern society.
- He has a profound understanding of human behavior.
- Losing his friend had a profound influence on his life.
- The discovery was of profound importance to science.
Learner examples
- The movie had a profound effect on me.
- She gave a profound answer to the question.
- His words showed a profound understanding of the problem.
- This book had a profound impact on my thinking.
- The teacher made a profound comment about life.
adjective
B2
property
2
Very great or extreme in degree
Very strong or big in how much it affects you or something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels/experiences profound [emotion/change/etc.]
Synonyms
intense (Emphasizes the strength of feeling or quality, often interchangeable with 'profound'.)
|
overwhelming (Stresses being so strong it is hard to deal with.)
Antonyms
mild (Indicates a weak or slight degree, opposite of profound intensity.)
Collocations
profound sadness
|profound relief
|profound shock
|profound change
Themes
emotions
|intensity
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She felt a profound sadness when she heard the news.
- The changes had a profound impact on the community.
- His speech left a profound impression on me.
- They experienced profound relief after the rescue.
- The loss had a profound effect on their lives.
Learner examples
- I felt profound joy when I saw my family.
- Her words caused profound sadness in the group.
- We had a profound change in our plans.
- He felt profound relief after passing the exam.
- That day made a profound impression on me.
adjective
C1
property
3
Located deep below the surface
Very deep under the ground, water, or another surface.
Synonyms
deep-seated (Can mean physically deep or firmly established; in physical contexts close to 'profound'.)
Antonyms
shallow (Not deep; opposite of physically profound.)
Collocations
profound depth
Themes
geography
|science
|space
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The ocean's most profound depths remain unexplored.
- Scientists studied the profound layers beneath the Earth's crust.
- The submarine descended to a profound depth in the trench.
Learner examples
- The lake has a profound depth.
- We cannot see the bottom because it is so profound.
- The cave goes to a profound level under the ground.
Grammar
Dictionary form
profound
IPA
GB/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd/
US/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd/
Syllables & stress
pro - found (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (found)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: profound
- Comparative: profounder
- Superlative: profoundest
Word family
Forms
profounder
adjective
profoundest
adjective
Core family
profoundly
adverb B2
Advanced or less common
profundity
noun
Negative and opposite forms
superficial
adjective B2
Expressions
profound change
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
A very big and important change
A very big change that affects things in an important way.
Examples
- The country underwent a profound change after the war.
- Technology has brought about profound changes in our lives.
profound effect
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd ɪfˈɛkt/
fixed phrase
A very strong influence or result
A very big and important change caused by something.
Examples
- The new policy had a profound effect on small businesses.
- His kindness had a profound effect on her life.
profound impact
1/pɹoʊfˈaʊnd ˈɪmpækt/
fixed phrase
A very strong and important impact
A very big and important result caused by something.
Examples
- The invention had a profound impact on how people communicate.
- Her words made a profound impact on him.