dedication

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

|Updated on: 9 Aug 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

From his first game in 2001 at age 19, TP has impressed and inspired us - day-after-day, game-after-game, season-after-season - with his passion, dedication and desire.

— jeff zillgitt, USA TODAY, "Spurs legend Tony Parker agrees to sign with Hornets," 6 July 2018
NBC News spoke with Professor Rhodes for NBC Out's #Pride30 special about his work and his dedication to public health.

— ariel jao /, NBC News, "#Pride30: Professor Scott D. Rhodes is a 'tireless champion' of public health," 31 May 2018
Getty Images Getty Images This doesn't come as a surprise, considering that on the day of the wedding the royal family updated Meghan's official Duchess of Sussex bio page to reflect her dedication to feminism.

— rachel epstein, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle, Now Duchess of Sussex, Is Reportedly "Stoked" for Royal Life," 30 May 2018
Their dedication to minority causes, though admirable, looked out-of-touch when paired with a relative unconcern for struggling whites.

— The Economist, "Democrats have plenty of anger, but few good ideas," 17 May 2018
Moles for the Cause flip-flop in their dedication as they’re seduced by the Process’s promise of a better life.

— devon maloney, The Verge, "3% is the most riveting, uplifting dystopian show you’re not watching," 6 May 2018
To Mandy and all of the amazing educators here today, your tireless dedication doesn't just inspire your students.

— CBS News, "Trump praises "outstanding" teacher at National Teacher of the Year presentation," 2 May 2018
His dedication and commitment has been as integral part of the human resources team.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Brian M. Kleinhen," 11 July 2018
And the nearly 80-year-old McKellen seems to have thoughtful perspectives on all of it, drawing upon his dedication to live theater, his groundbreaking advocacy work for LGBTQA rights in the UK, and his now generation-spanning appeal.

— nathan mattise, Ars Technica, "In new documentary, Ian McKellen reflects on Magneto, Gandalf," 8 July 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