dedicate

2 of 2

verb

ded·​i·​cate ˈde-di-ˌkāt How to pronounce dedicate (audio)
 also  ˈde-ˌdē-
dedicated; dedicating

transitive verb

1
: to devote to the worship of a divine being
specifically : to set apart (a church) to sacred uses with solemn rites
2
a
: to set apart to a definite use
money dedicated to their vacation fund
b
: to commit to a goal or way of life
ready to dedicate his life to public service
3
: to inscribe or address by way of compliment
dedicate a book to a friend
4
: to open to public use
dedicator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for dedicate

devote, dedicate, consecrate, hallow mean to set apart for a special and often higher end.

devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Examples of dedicate in a Sentence

Verb The new park was dedicated today. a young attorney who has decided to dedicate her career to helping the poor receive justice
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
For example, leaders need to focus on giving clear instructions and dedicate time to forging a cohesive company culture, which is harder to do online. Graham Glass, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 If your organization holds annual summit meetings or retreats, dedicate time to review and discuss the company’s mission and core values. Sylvia Hastanan, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022
Verb
Honea was a long-time Marana resident who dedicated his life to public service, according to statement from the town. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 21 Dec. 2024 Divided into two roughly equal parts, the film dedicates its first half to holidasy festivities that are same-as-ever, yet also repeatedly go off the rails a bit. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dedicate 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin dedicatus, past participle of dedicare to dedicate, from de- + dicare to proclaim, dedicate — more at diction

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dedicate was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dedicate

Cite this Entry

“Dedicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dedicate. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

dedicate

verb
ded·​i·​cate
ˈded-i-ˌkāt
dedicated; dedicating
1
: to set apart for some purpose and especially a sacred or serious purpose
2
: to address or inscribe as a compliment
dedicated her book to her mother
dedicator
-ˌkāt-ər
noun

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