devote

verb

de·​vote di-ˈvōt How to pronounce devote (audio)
dē-
devoted; devoting

transitive verb

1
: to commit by a solemn act
devoted herself to serving God
2
: to give over or direct (time, money, effort, etc.) to a cause, enterprise, or activity
Part of the lecture was devoted to taking questions from the audience.
She devoted her life to public service.
devotement noun
Choose the Right Synonym for devote

devote, dedicate, consecrate, hallow mean to set apart for a special and often higher end.

devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Examples of devote in a Sentence

I conscientiously devote several hours every weekend to playing with my dog. planning a diplomatic career, she's been intensely devoting herself to the study of foreign languages in college
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Roberts’ 24-page majority opinion was devoted almost entirely to explaining why the Tennessee law, called SB1, should be evaluated under the lower standard of review. Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025 With little else on the election calendar in the early months of 2025, national Democrats devoted time, energy and money to the race, which received enormous publicity. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025 Many board positions were not hotly contested, and almost anyone could show up at a school board meeting and command their five minutes of airtime. Bannon would devote particular attention to schools. Ira Wells june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025 Central Banking As ‘Market Craft’ Hughes devotes a section to the Federal Reserve’s transformation. Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for devote

Word History

Etymology

Latin devotus, past participle of devovēre, from de- + vovēre to vow

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devote was in 1586

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Devote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devote. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

devote

verb
de·​vote di-ˈvōt How to pronounce devote (audio)
devoted; devoting
1
: to set apart for a special purpose
devote land to farming
2
: to give (oneself) up to
devoted herself to her career

More from Merriam-Webster on devote

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