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
Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Still, amid the sacrifices many are making to ensure there’s a social safety net in the country, there are those with disposable income who can invest.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
And although some people are motivated by sacrifice — giving up gas cars or driving fewer miles, for instance — many more can be made to worry about government taking away their pickup trucks or hamburgers or gas stoves, popular talking points for conservative politicians looking to win elections.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
So thank you for your sacrifices, your powerful voices, and your dauntless spirits.
—Dan Heching, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
What unfolded was more than a year of cascading decisions and obstacles that strained our wallets and tested our notions of comfort and sacrifice.
—Tik Root, WIRED, 30 Mar. 2024
McIntyre, too, has been outspoken about the sacrifices he’s made during his career in WWE.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The labor union crafted an historic contract that made up for sacrifices hourly workers made to help the automakers in years past.
—Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2024
In an interview on her digital talk series The Relationship Podcast, the couple talks about not becoming resentful toward the priority partner in times of sacrifice.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
The company is simplifying the ready-to-assembly experience by developing an easy-to-assemble system that will drastically reduce assembly time, without sacrificing quality or design.
—Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
He's sacrificed on the altar of regional political strategy.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Hamas would rather sacrifice the civilian population of Gaza on the altar of its genocidal ambition and suicidal desires.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Nick Allen, the No. 9 hitter, was called upon to sacrifice Butler to second.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Best for: Professionals who prioritize ergonomics and need a chair that can support them through long workdays without sacrificing comfort.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
Families of people with dementia must either sacrifice their personal well-being and livelihoods to care for a loved one at home, hire a professional home health aide, which costs from US$30 to $50 an hour, or place the loved one in a nursing home.
—Maria J Silveira, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
Silver & Riley Classic New Yorker Bag $1,095 Silver & Riley
This buzzy bag brand—founded by Lola Banjo in 2019—has emerged as a go-to for people looking for attainable luxury without sacrificing style or quality.
—Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
Most of the news coverage has explained the shift as an unavoidable sacrifice for Native rights and sensibilities, a zero-sum game in which museum-goers and school field trips are the necessary losers.
—Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Still, amid the sacrifices many are making to ensure there’s a social safety net in the country, there are those with disposable income who can invest.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
And although some people are motivated by sacrifice — giving up gas cars or driving fewer miles, for instance — many more can be made to worry about government taking away their pickup trucks or hamburgers or gas stoves, popular talking points for conservative politicians looking to win elections.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
So thank you for your sacrifices, your powerful voices, and your dauntless spirits.
—Dan Heching, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
What unfolded was more than a year of cascading decisions and obstacles that strained our wallets and tested our notions of comfort and sacrifice.
—Tik Root, WIRED, 30 Mar. 2024
McIntyre, too, has been outspoken about the sacrifices he’s made during his career in WWE.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The labor union crafted an historic contract that made up for sacrifices hourly workers made to help the automakers in years past.
—Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2024
In an interview on her digital talk series The Relationship Podcast, the couple talks about not becoming resentful toward the priority partner in times of sacrifice.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
Verb
Some Okinawans feel that Japan and the U.S. have colonized and sacrificed them.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
The company is simplifying the ready-to-assembly experience by developing an easy-to-assemble system that will drastically reduce assembly time, without sacrificing quality or design.
—Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
He's sacrificed on the altar of regional political strategy.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Hamas would rather sacrifice the civilian population of Gaza on the altar of its genocidal ambition and suicidal desires.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Nick Allen, the No. 9 hitter, was called upon to sacrifice Butler to second.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Best for: Professionals who prioritize ergonomics and need a chair that can support them through long workdays without sacrificing comfort.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
Families of people with dementia must either sacrifice their personal well-being and livelihoods to care for a loved one at home, hire a professional home health aide, which costs from US$30 to $50 an hour, or place the loved one in a nursing home.
—Maria J Silveira, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
Silver & Riley Classic New Yorker Bag $1,095 Silver & Riley
This buzzy bag brand—founded by Lola Banjo in 2019—has emerged as a go-to for people looking for attainable luxury without sacrificing style or quality.
—Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sacrifice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sacrificium, from sacr-, sacer + facere to make — more at do
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of sacrifice was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing sacrifice
Articles Related to sacrifice
Dictionary Entries Near sacrifice
Cite this Entry
“Sacrifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on sacrifice
Nglish: Translation of sacrifice for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sacrifice for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sacrifice
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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