Definition of dedicatenext
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 OpenAI dedicated a quarter of its product engineers to that effort. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026 Because the launch model lacks a pop-up roof for standing up, KombiLife pushes the kitchen outside for better ergonomics and dedicates the passenger side to a tall storage console with slim shelf on top and storage cubbies below. — New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026 In his stories, Poe dedicated himself to writing about the dark side of human experience — our most primal fears and most unspeakable secrets. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026 Along with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), UConn Basketball will dedicate a game to raising awareness for mental health and emphasizing the importance of mental well-being. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dedicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dedicate
Verb
  • Having survived Auschwitz, Eger devoted her life to helping Vietnam veterans and others confront trauma, guilt and grief.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Sound Moves to the Foreground Seminci also devotes a major retrospective to the role of sound in cinema.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Yes, but this doesn’t save a business from the compliance nightmare.
    — Daniel Kjellén, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The first in the ACOTAR series, the romantasy novel introduces us to Feyre Archeron, a human woman who agrees to go live in the fairie realm of Prythian in order to save her family.
    — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dedicate. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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