Meaning & use
profound change
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A very great and deep change that affects the essential nature of something.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a profound change' or 'profound changes'.
Patterns
- a profound change in something
- profound changes to something
The invention of the internet brought profound change to how we communicate.
She underwent a profound change in attitude after the accident.
The new law caused profound changes in the education system.
Word forms
| plural | profound changes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a profound change in
- There has been a profound change in public opinion.
- bring about profound change
- The revolution brought about profound change across the country.
- undergo profound change
- The industry has undergone profound change in the last decade.
- profound social change
- The 1960s saw profound social change in many countries.
- profound and lasting change
- The reforms led to profound and lasting change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- radical change
- Radical change suggests a complete break from the past, often political or sudden, while profound change emphasizes depth and importance.
- fundamental change
- Fundamental change focuses on the basic structure being altered, while profound change stresses the deep effect.
- far-reaching change
- Far-reaching change emphasizes the wide consequences, not necessarily the depth.
Opposites
Word family
- profoundly adverb
- In a very great or deep way.
- profoundness noun
- The quality of being deep or intense.
- change noun
- The act of becoming different.
Commonly confused: profound change or professed change?
profound change vs professed change
Professed means claimed or stated openly, not deep or great, so it does not fit here.
Practice
The new policy led to ______ in the way employees worked.
Choose one answer.
'A profound change' is correct because 'change' is countable here and the phrase needs a determiner. 'Profound change' without 'a' is less natural in this specific sentence, and 'profound changing' is not a standard noun phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “profound change”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.