sacrifice

1 of 2

verb

sacrificed; sacrificing

transitive verb

1

transitive + intransitive : to give up or lose (something of value) especially for an ideal, belief, or end

honoring those who sacrificed all [=died] for our country

… she did not sacrifice long-term objectives to short-term gain.

—Economist

… aims to meet customer demand for new products without sacrificing quality.

—Olive Keogh

In any case, the House will lose three key Democrats who sacrificed their seats to run for Senate.

—Kyler Alvord

… the doting father who, recognizing a knack and a passion in his son, sacrificed for the sake of the boy's development.

—Alexander Wolff

2

transitive + intransitive : to offer (a sacrificial victim) as a sacrifice to a deity

a command that they sacrifice a lamb

3

transitive : to sell (something) at a loss

Dear book! I will sell my Shakespeare, and even sacrifice my old quarto Hogarth, before I will part with you.

—Herman Melville

4

transitive + intransitive baseball : to advance (a base runner) by means of a sacrifice bunt : to make a sacrifice hit

5

transitive : to kill (an animal) as part of a scientific experiment

sacrificer noun

sacrificer

2 of 2

noun

sac·​ri·​fic·​er

-ə(r)

plural -s

: one that sacrifices

specifically : a sacrificing priest

Synonyms of sacrifice

Verb

• offer

Examples of sacrifice in a Sentence

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

Verb

Meanwhile, the five-star analyst noted that the major debate surrounding Chevron centers on inventory depth and whether the company can sustain upstream volumes over the long term without sacrificing capital efficiencies. —Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 7 June 2026

The peplum-style tank top cinches gently at the waist for a flattering fit without sacrificing comfort, while the breezy wide-leg pants offer plenty of airflow on especially hot days. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026

Josh Rojas tried to sacrifice him over to third, but his bunt went straight back to Orze, who threw to second base too late to catch the retreating Tolbert. —CBS News, 6 June 2026

Approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association, Spenco is known for creating healthy footwear that helps support your feet without sacrificing style. —ABC News, 6 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sacrifice

• give/sacrifice one's life
• great personal sacrifice
• made the final/supreme/ultimate sacrifice
• make the final/supreme/ultimate sacrifice
• sacrifice bunt
• sacrifice fly
• sacrifice hit
• sacrifice one's life
• self-sacrifice

Rhymes for sacrifice

• imprecise
• advice
• allspice
• concise
• device
• entice
• excise
• fordyce
• precise
• suffice
• dice
• feis

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