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 Distance is its own protection To serve the tourist market, operators like Phil van Wegen dedicate themselves to a life in Australia’s remote outback. Angus Watson, CNN Money, 25 June 2025 Notably, John Bale Jr. also dedicated 15 years to the hospital's Physician Board of Directors, and five years on the Arkansas Children's Foundation board. Keelin Fisher, Arkansas Online, 24 June 2025 Parton initially rejected that nomination — not wanting to take a space from a traditional rock artist who dedicated their career to that genre. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for dedicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dedicate
Verb
  • Officials say that deterrent is why cases of ineligible people casting ballots are incredibly rare — a fact that's become increasingly apparent as more and more states devote resources to uncovering the few people that slip through the cracks every election.
    Miles Parks, NPR, 28 June 2025
  • For instance, using scheduling tools or features to automate social media posts and email campaigns enables marketers to devote additional time to more important activities.
    Roman Vrublivskyi, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • While gymnasts are flying inside a venue during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Archer Aviation electric air taxis will be flitting through the air above the area saving athletes, VIPs, guests and myriad others from performing brutal traffic acrobatics to get from place-to-place.
    Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • One reported a 60% increase in sales within four months, while another saved 30-hours per week on decision-making processes, according to Medone.
    Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dedicate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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