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

Example 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 The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star and Stori Telling author dedicated the entirety of the most recent episode of her misSPELLING podcast to her water aversion. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025 During the development and testing stages, your team needs to dedicate extra time to security audits and reviews, covering everything from code and infrastructure to third-party components. Klaudia Zaika, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Hackman dedicated much of his time in retirement to painting and writing novels far from Hollywood's social circuit. arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025 In the years following his death, his mother Voletta dedicated herself to preserving her son’s legacy. Shirley Halperin For The Hollywood Reporter, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dedicate

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Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dedicate. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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