dedication

noun

ded·​i·​ca·​tion ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən 

1

religion : an act or rite of dedicating (see dedicate entry 2 sense 1) to a divine being or to a sacred use

the dedication of the temple

2

: a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose

the dedication of funds raised from the bake sale to the class trip

3

: a name and often a message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person or cause

mentioned his family in a brief dedication in his novel

4

: self-sacrificing devotion and loyalty

her dedication to the cause

required hard work and dedication

5

: a ceremony to mark the official completion or opening of something (such as a building)

attended the building's dedication nearly fifty years ago

dedicatory

ˈde-di-kə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Did you know?

This one goes out to the word nerds we love. A simple word to occupy your time, but one dedicated to serving English users’ needs since the 14th century. Now that’s dedication! Dedication was first used for the solemn act of dedicating something, such as a calendar day or a church, to a deity or to a sacred use. The word hasn’t lost its religion in this respect; this sense is still very much in use today. But just as the verb dedicate (“to devote to the worship of a divine being”) has gained additional secular meanings over the centuries, so has dedication. By the 17th century it was being used for the act of devoting time and energy to a particular purpose (as when a band reveals its dedication to music by constantly rehearsing) as well as to a name or message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person, cause, or really any part of life’s rich pageant. Nowadays, dedication commonly indicates the quality of being loyal or devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose.

Synonyms

• commitment
• loyalty
• devotion
• allegiance
• fidelity

Examples of dedication in a Sentence

It took a lot of hard work and dedication, but we managed to finish the project on time.

the dedication of the temple

They celebrated the dedication of the new building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Recent Examples on the Web

Duckworth encourages readers to cultivate long-term dedication to their goals, overcome setbacks, and maintain a growth mindset to achieve excellence. —Jann E. Freed, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

Soliman's case has attracted wide attention since about 75 supporters held a press conference about his case just after his arrest: Local parents and medical professionals have been writing the immigration court, extolling his dedication to sick children. —Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025

This achievement serves as a clear testament to the hard work and dedication Choi has invested in becoming a pioneer in reducing health disparities and improving access to health services. —Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 12 July 2025

His lifelong dedication to visual storytelling and world-building resonates deeply with us and our community, and the museum’s mission to celebrate narrative art in all its forms perfectly reflects what Comic-Con has championed from the very beginning. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

see dedicate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dedication

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

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Kids Definition

dedication

noun

ded·​i·​ca·​tion ˌded-i-ˈkā-shən 

1

a

: an act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use

b

: a setting aside for a particular purpose

2

: the inscription dedicating a literary, musical, or artistic work to a person or cause

3

: self-sacrificing devotion

dedicatory

ˈded-i-kə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

Legal Definition

dedication

noun

ded·​i·​ca·​tion ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən 

: a giving up of property to public use that precludes the owner from asserting any further interest in it: as

a

: an intentional donation of land for public use that is accepted by the proper public authorities

b

: intentional or negligent surrender to the public of intellectual property that could have been protected by copyright or patent