consecrate

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb consecrate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of consecrate are dedicate, devote, and hallow. While all these words mean "to set apart for a special and often higher end," consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

When can dedicate be used instead of consecrate?

While the synonyms dedicate and consecrate are close in meaning, dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

When would devote be a good substitute for consecrate?

The meanings of devote and consecrate largely overlap; however, devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

When is it sensible to use hallow instead of consecrate?

In some situations, the words hallow and consecrate are roughly equivalent. However, hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of consecrate
Adjective
Lana Del Rey doesn’t toy with signs—of American glamour and its decay, of female melancholia and racial desire—so much as consecrate them. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2023
Verb
Bergoglio was consecrated into the priesthood as a Jesuit, a religious order explicitly averse to moving up within the ranks of the church hierarchy. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025 The creators of this medieval masterpiece have been lost to time, but it’s believed to have been commissioned by Odo, bishop of Bayeux and William’s half-brother, to decorate the nave of the new cathedral of Notre-Dame of Bayeux, which was consecrated in 1077. Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consecrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consecrate
Adjective
  • Live television had long been a holy grail for inventors.
    Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 23 June 2025
  • Work-life balance has become the holy grail of modern employment.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Spending for human services, K-12 education and municipal aid has grown — albeit not by as much as Democrats want — and Connecticut will again dedicate much of the outgoing budget’s $2 billion-plus surplus toward reducing pension debt.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
  • Cyrus dedicated a sweet tribute to her on Instagram at the time.
    Jack Irvin, People.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Some parks, however, are blessed with ample indoor options.
    Matt Alderton, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • This product leaves my skin feeling deeply moisturized and blessed after each shower.
    Kayla Greaves, Essence, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • For five days, the city erupts into epic water battles, the Grand Parade of floats, live concerts, EDM zones, drone shows, and sacred Buddhist ceremonies.
    Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Is my poetry equal to something so sacred and timeless?
    Literary Hub June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Roberts’ 24-page majority opinion was devoted almost entirely to explaining why the Tennessee law, called SB1, should be evaluated under the lower standard of review.
    Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
  • Many board positions were not hotly contested, and almost anyone could show up at a school board meeting and command their five minutes of airtime. Bannon would devote particular attention to schools.
    Ira Wells June 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Churches are fine, but consecrated Earth is dangerous to them.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 June 2025
  • Until her late 20s, Isabella had never even considered a consecrated life.
    Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • Sabalenka, one of the favorites to lift the Wimbledon title this year, had saved four match points in a tiebreak to escape 2022 champion Elena Rybakina the previous day, one of them coming via a fortunate net cord.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • Goodson, the homeowner in Maine, was able to save big money with his engineering background and penchant for DIY.
    Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Consecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consecrate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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