as in to devote
to keep or intend for a special purpose a young attorney who has decided to dedicate her career to helping the poor receive justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb dedicate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dedicate are consecrate, devote, and hallow. While all these words mean "to set apart for a special and often higher end," dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

Where would consecrate be a reasonable alternative to dedicate?

The synonyms consecrate and dedicate are sometimes interchangeable, but consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

When might devote be a better fit than dedicate?

Although the words devote and dedicate have much in common, devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

In what contexts can hallow take the place of dedicate?

While in some cases nearly identical to dedicate, 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 dedicate The veterinarians and caretakers waiting for them after rescue have dedicated years to better understanding these bears and innovating to meet their needs. Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025 The Trump administration has loudly demanded European NATO members dedicate 5 percent of GDP to defense. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 For now, that has Peters dedicating valuable time and resources to the most foundational details. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 2 June 2025 Unlike industry legacy methods where people and technologies are stretched over the entire process, Rocket has broken down the workflow into distinct stages and has dedicated people and technologies at each step. Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dedicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dedicate
Verb
  • However, manufacturers should devote similar attention to their return on data.
    Simon Dae Oong Kim, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • As one of vanishingly few Palestinian American voices in Hollywood, Amer might have devoted what would, unfortunately, be his show’s final season to current events.
    Judy Berman, Time, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Both teams had their first two penalties saved, before Steaua eventually got themselves together to score two… which was enough because Barca missed all four of theirs.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Reforming laws like these would save large quantities of water.
    Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dedicate. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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