devote

verb

de·​vote di-ˈvōt 

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

di-ˈvōt-mənt 

dē-

noun

Synonyms

• allocate
• consecrate
• dedicate
• earmark
• give up (to)
• reserve
• save
• set by

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

Persistent but unfounded beliefs even prompted NASA to devote a special page to debunking misconceptions about a solar eclipse. —Bill Chappell, NPR, 8 Apr. 2024

Though rivals have been acquiring buzzy specials, including Alex Edelman’s Just for Us on Max, Netflix devotes 10 days in May to remind the larger comedy community and its fans of both its reach and its roster, with some 300 shows across 35-plus Los Angeles venues. —Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024

Having Stroud on the relative cheap through 2026 stiffens the tailwind, enabling the Texans to devote larger slices of the salary cap to other positions. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

Its founding curator of modern and contemporary art, Beth Citron, organized three eye-opening exhibitions devoted South Asian modernism. —Holland Cotter, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

The main deck is home to four generous guest cabins, while the upper deck is devoted primarily to the owner. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024

But in their early years these prodigious neophytes tended to devote themselves single-mindedly to their ensembles. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024

With the spinoff done, Culp can devote all his formidable talents to improving performance at GE Aerospace. —Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer, enthusiastic shopper, and devoted mom. —Christin Perry, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024

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

Phrases Containing devote

• devote to

Kids Definition

devote

verb

de·​vote di-ˈvōt 

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