as in to devote
to keep or intend for a special purpose a young attorney who has decided to dedicate her career to helping the poor receive justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb dedicate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dedicate are consecrate, devote, and hallow. While all these words mean "to set apart for a special and often higher end," dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

Where would consecrate be a reasonable alternative to dedicate?

The synonyms consecrate and dedicate are sometimes interchangeable, but consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

When might devote be a better fit than dedicate?

Although the words devote and dedicate have much in common, devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

In what contexts can hallow take the place of dedicate?

While in some cases nearly identical to dedicate, hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dedicate Without Pickens to take the top off the defense and force the Browns to dedicate extra coverage in his direction, the Steelers’ offense stumbled out of the gate. Mike Defabo, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024 But experts have expressed doubts on Moscow's ability or willingness to dedicate the resources necessary to save Assad amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024 Her parents take Mary to a temple in Jerusalem to dedicate her to God. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024 Would we be encouraged to throw our smartphones away, at a minimum, and maybe even quit our laptop jobs and dedicate our free time to data-poisoning and blowing up cell towers? Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dedicate 

Thesaurus Entries Near dedicate

Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dedicate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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