sac·ri·fice
ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs 
also -fəs,
or -ˌfīz
1
: an act of offering to a deity something precious
especially
: the killing of a victim on an altar
2
: something offered in sacrifice
3
a
: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
b
: something given up or lost
the sacrifices made by parents
4
: loss
goods sold at a sacrifice
5
sacrificed; sacrificing
1
: to offer as a sacrifice
2
: to suffer loss of, give up, renounce, injure, or destroy especially for an ideal, belief, or end
3
: to sell at a loss
4
: to advance (a base runner) by means of a sacrifice bunt
5
: to kill (an animal) as part of a scientific experiment
1
: to make or perform the rites of a sacrifice
2
: to make a sacrifice hit in baseball
sacrificer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of sacrifice in a Sentence
Noun
The war required everyone to make sacrifices.
No sacrifice is too great when it comes to her children.
He made many personal sacrifices to provide help to the city's homeless people.
The war required much sacrifice from everyone.
a place where priests performed human sacrifices in ancient rituals
The villagers hoped the gods would accept their sacrifice.
The goat was offered as a sacrifice.
The runner went to second base on a sacrifice.
Verb
She's had to sacrifice a lot for her family.
He sacrificed his personal life in order to get ahead in his career.
I want to follow a diet that is healthful without sacrificing taste.
She was able to ask for their help without sacrificing her dignity.
She was willing to suffer, sacrifice, and work for success.
a place where people were sacrificed in ancient rituals
He sacrificed in his first at bat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Pregnancy, as the biological process by which human reproduction occurs, always requires physical sacrifice and carries the possibility of death.
—Essence, 31 Oct. 2024
Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
So, thank you Google for giving users a choice between sizes without having to sacrifice performance.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sacrifice 
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Noun
Keep the thrills coming with Jessica Guess’s Cirque Berserk, which stars four teens who make an annual sacrifice to the queen of the underworld in exchange for eternal youth.
—Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Pregnancy, as the biological process by which human reproduction occurs, always requires physical sacrifice and carries the possibility of death.
—Essence, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
In our testing, no performance was sacrificed in the choice; the Sentinel was remarkably stretchy, tough, and warm for its weight.
—Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
So, thank you Google for giving users a choice between sizes without having to sacrifice performance.
—Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sacrifice
Dictionary Entries Near sacrifice
Cite this Entry
“Sacrifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sacrifice
1 of 2 noun
sac·ri·fice
ˈsak-rə-ˌfīs
-fəs
1
: an act of offering something precious to God or a god
especially
: the killing of a victim on an altar
2
: something offered in sacrifice
3
: a giving up of something especially for the sake of someone else
also
: something so given up
4
: loss of profit
sell goods at a sacrifice
sacrifice
2 of 2 verb
sac·ri·fice
ˈsak-rə-ˌfīs,
-ˌfīz
sacrificed; sacrificing
1
: to offer or perform as a sacrifice
2
: to give up for the sake of something else
3
: to sell at a loss
4
: to make a sacrifice hit
sacrificer
noun
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sacrifice "the act of offering something to God or a god," from early French sacrifice (same meaning), from Latin sacrificium "sacrifice," from sacr-, sacer "sacred" and -ficium, from facere "to do, make" — related to sacred
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