# profound

/pɹoʊˈfaʊnd/ (US) · /pɹəfˈaʊnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/profound
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. intense or deeply felt

adjective · CEFR B2

used to describe a very strong feeling or effect.

For teachers: characterised by great intensity or emotional depth; pervading.

- The death of his grandfather had a profound effect on his childhood.
- The sudden economic shift had a profound impact on the local community, altering the social fabric for generations to come.

### 2. intellectually deep

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

showing great knowledge or understanding of a difficult subject.

For teachers: requiring or exhibiting deep intellectual insight; reaching the core of a complex matter.

- The professor offered a profound explanation of the poem's meaning.
- His latest book provides a profound analysis of the relationship between language and thought in early childhood development.

### 3. complete or total

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

used to describe something that is complete or absolute, like silence or a medical condition.

For teachers: absolute or reaching to the furthest extent; often used to describe sensory deprivation or medical states.

- A profound silence fell over the room after she finished speaking.
- The patient suffered from profound deafness in both ears following the infection.

### 4. physically deep

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

reaching far down below the surface.

For teachers: extending to a great depth physically; situated far below the surface.

- The divers explored the profound depths of the ocean trench.
- The explorers stared into the profound darkness of the cavern, unable to see where the floor began.

## Examples

- The book had a profound effect on my life.
- The discovery of the new medicine had a profound impact on how doctors treat the disease.
- The philosopher's latest work offers a profound meditation on the nature of consciousness, challenging several long-held assumptions in the field of cognitive science.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.