sanctify

verb

sanc·​ti·​fy ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌfī 

sanctified; sanctifying

transitive verb

1

: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : consecrate

2

: to free from sin : purify

3

a

: to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to

b

: to give moral or social sanction to

4

: to make productive of holiness or piety

Observe the day of the sabbath, to sanctify it …

—Deuteronomy 5:12 (Douay Version)

Synonyms of sanctify

• purge
• purify

Examples of sanctify in a Sentence

The priest sanctified their marriage.

The constitution sanctified the rights of the people.

Recent Examples on the Web

His unselfishness prevents him from being made to look a fool, and instead he is dignified by it, sanctified by it. — Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026

At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth felt her baby leap in her womb, which signified that John had become sanctified and cleansed of original sin, as if by baptism, according to Catholic doctrine. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

Guns became sacred, and violence was increasingly justified, if not sanctified. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026

The church has always preached that humans are created in God’s image; by assuming the messy fragility of human form, God’s son sanctified human experience. — Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Anglo-French seintefier, sanctifier, from Late Latin sanctificare, from Latin sanctus sacred — more at saint

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sanctify

verb

sanc·​ti·​fy ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌfī 

sanctified; sanctifying

1

: to set apart as sacred

2

: to make free from sin

sanctification

ˌsaŋ(k)-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən

noun