Profound
/prəˈfaʊnd/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Profound describes something that is very deep or intense, either in thought, feeling, or effect. It often shows great importance or seriousness, going beyond the surface or simple understanding. For example, a profound idea is one that makes you think deeply, and a profound feeling is very strong inside.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Very deep in meaning or thought
- •She had a profound understanding of the problem.
- •The book offers profound insights into human nature.
- •His speech made a profound impression on the audience.
Very strong or intense feeling or effect
- •The death of her friend caused profound sadness.
- •They felt profound happiness after the good news.
- •The experience had a profound effect on his life.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "profound" like "deep" (A1 word), but much stronger and more serious—like the deepest part of the ocean, not just a small hole
- ✓Picture a quiet lake with clear water so deep you cannot see the bottom—this is like a profound thought or feeling, very deep and not easy to understand quickly
- ✓It's the feeling when something changes your mind or heart completely, like hearing a very sad or inspiring story
- ✓Sounds like "pro-FOWND" → imagine a big sound coming from deep under the ground, very strong and powerful
- ✓Remember famous speeches or books that make people think carefully and feel strongly—these are profound
- ✓NOT like "simple" or "light" which are easy and not deep—profound means serious and important
- ✓NOT like "shallow" which is near the surface—profound is very deep inside ideas or feelings
- ✓NOT like "small" or "weak"—profound means very strong or large in meaning or feeling
Try Other Words
- •Deep: very far down or serious (Use when talking about physical depth or simple strong feelings)
- •Intense: very strong or extreme (Use when focusing on strong feelings or effects)
- •Serious: important and not light (Use when emphasizing importance or seriousness)
- •Thoughtful: showing careful thinking (Use when talking about ideas or understanding)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "pro-" (forward, forth) + root "found" (from Latin "fundus" meaning bottom or base)
- •Etymology: From Latin "profundus," meaning "deep, bottomless"
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 1400s to describe things that are deep in space, thought, or feeling
- •Modern usage: Used to describe ideas, feelings, effects, or people that are very deep, serious, or important
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be too profound to understand quickly? How do we deal with very deep ideas or feelings?
•How does feeling something profound change the way you think or act afterward?
Fill in the blanks
1.When someone has a profound idea, it usually makes others ___ deeply about the subject.
2.A profound sadness often comes after a ___ event in life.
3.Unlike simple feelings, profound emotions are very ___ and affect people strongly.
4.You can say a book is profound if it gives you ___ new ways to think.
5.Profound thoughts are not ___ or easy; they need time to understand.
6.A profound effect on someone means it changes them ___ and deeply.
7.When a person speaks with profound knowledge, they show they ___ the topic very well.