sacrifice

1 of 2

noun

sac·​ri·​fice ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs 

 also  -fəs,

 or  -ˌfīz

1

: an act of offering to a deity something precious

especially : the killing of a victim on an altar

2

: something offered in sacrifice

3

a

: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else

b

: something given up or lost

the sacrifices made by parents

4

: loss

goods sold at a sacrifice

5

: sacrifice bunt

sacrifice

2 of 2

verb

sacrificed; sacrificing

transitive verb

1

: to offer as a sacrifice

2

: to suffer loss of, give up, renounce, injure, or destroy especially for an ideal, belief, or end

3

: to sell at a loss

4

: to advance (a base runner) by means of a sacrifice bunt

5

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

intransitive verb

1

: to make or perform the rites of a sacrifice

2

: to make a sacrifice hit in baseball

sacrificer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• immolation
• offering
• victim

Verb

• immolate
• offer

Examples of sacrifice in a Sentence

Noun

The war required everyone to make sacrifices.

No sacrifice is too great when it comes to her children.

He made many personal sacrifices to provide help to the city's homeless people.

The war required much sacrifice from everyone.

a place where priests performed human sacrifices in ancient rituals

The villagers hoped the gods would accept their sacrifice.

The goat was offered as a sacrifice.

The runner went to second base on a sacrifice.

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

Noun

Particularly in chronicling the sacrifices Cassandra happily made for Jane, Miss Austen suggests that there was always more than one way for a woman to lead a fulfilling life. —Judy Berman, Time, 2 May 2025

At the start of World War II, most governments required zoos to embrace an ideology of sacrifice – a willingness to set the needs of the state above their own. —John M. Kinder, The Conversation, 1 May 2025

Verb

In a story that is common in cricket-mad India, his parents had to sacrifice greatly for their talented child displaying a knack for smacking the ball further than any other kid. —Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

In many medical centers, the cost of heart transplants has fallen by 40 percent compared to Western averages, boosting affordability without sacrificing quality. —Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sacrificium, from sacr-, sacer + facere to make — more at do

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing sacrifice

• give/sacrifice one's life
• 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