dedication

noun ded·i·ca·tion \ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Examples: dedication in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of dedication

1 religion : an act or rite of dedicating (see ²dedicate 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

play \ˈde-di-kə-ˌtȯr-ē\ adjective

See dedication defined for English-language learners

See dedication defined for kids

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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 of dedication from the Web

That focus on the Indianapolis community wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of the employees at Bill Estes Automotive.

— elise riley, Indianapolis Star, "Bill Estes Automotive continues to thrive," 11 June 2018
The experience is not contingent upon the transparency of ingredients or methods, but rather the dedication of the specialist, the presentation of hard work, and the experience given to the spectator.

— ian frisch, Longreads, "Anthony Bourdain and the Missing Piece," 9 June 2018
After school starts, there will be a dedication and ribbon cutting.

— melissa reinert, Cincinnati.com, "New Boone County middle school Ballyshannon on schedule for August opening," 7 June 2018
Both Murphy and Loesch will be at the dedication of the memorial.

— ronnie polaneczky, Philly.com, "'Some disasters stand out.' Firefighters remember the Salvation Army collapse | Ronnie Polaneczky," 5 June 2018
What distinguishes these Capitals from their forebears is a dedication to structure, discipline and defensive accountability.

— ben shpigel, New York Times, "The Capitals Purge Their Past, One Win at a Time," 3 June 2018
The dedication and commitment of these students is impressive and, in almost all cases, each student-athlete has competed in regional and state championships.

— melissa whatley, baltimoresun.com, "Dulaney High students honored for their athletic achievements," 30 May 2018
Eleven names were added to the department’s service wall, which recognizes the dedication of employees for their years of service.

— linda girardi, Aurora Beacon-News, "'We know their stories and their sacrifice,' Aurora police chief says at memorial service for fallen," 19 May 2018
What serendipity for members of the late Chandler Robbins’ family who attended the dedication of a SkyWatch at the Howard County Conservancy on April 21.

— lisa peklo, Howard County Times, "Famous conductor joining Mount View Middle concert [West Friendship]," 17 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dedication.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The word dedication first appears in the 14th century as a name for the solemn act of dedicating something, such as a calendar day or a church, to a divine being or to a sacred use. The word—formed from the Latin past participle of dedicare, meaning "to dedicate"—did not take hold in secular contexts until a few centuries later when English speakers began using it to refer to the act of devoting time and energy to a particular purpose. One of the earliest writers to do so is William Shakespeare. "His life I gave him, and did thereto ad / My love without retention or restraint, / All his in dedication….," proclaims his character Antonio in Twelfth Night. Dedication has also come to describe the quality of being loyal or devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose. Nowadays, people are commonly spoken of as having a dedication to his or her family or work.

Origin and Etymology of dedication

see ¹dedicate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

dedication Synonyms

DEDICATION Defined for English Language Learners

dedication

noun

Definition of dedication for English Language Learners

: a feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something : the quality or state of being dedicated to a person, group, cause, etc.
: a message at the beginning of a book, song, etc., saying that it was written or is being performed in order to honor or express affection for someone
: the act of officially saying that something (such as a new building) was created for a particular purpose (such as worship) or to remember or honor a particular person