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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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 Dreamland played a huge role in the birth of professional pickleball, hosting the first two MLP events and serving as a launching pad for the Austin pro pickleball scene, providing a playing location and housing for a slew of up and coming pros looking to dedicate their time 100% to the sport. Todd Boss, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 In turn, as airports hired more people to fill the vacancies, senior employees have to dedicate more time to training new hires, and this lack of experience can lead to dangerous items slipping past the screeners. Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025 Volunteer Pass: This free annual pass is for individuals who dedicate 250 volunteer hours to federal lands. Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 9 Jan. 2025 The night ended with a send-off of chicken fingers and fries, and the bride dedicating her bouquet to her mother instead of doing a bouquet toss. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025 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 18 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dedicate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!