sacrifice

American  

[sak-ruh-fahys] / ˈsæk rəˌfaɪs /

noun

• sacrifices
  plural

1. the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.

2. the person, animal, or thing so offered.

3. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

4. the thing so surrendered or devoted.

5. a loss incurred in selling something below its value.

6. Baseball. Also sacrifice hit a batted ball, specifically a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly, that results in the batter being put out at first base while one or more base runners safely advance. S

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verb (used with object)

• sacrifices,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sacrificed,
  past participle,  past
• sacrificing
  present participle

1. to make a sacrifice or offering of.

2. to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.

   Synonyms:

   renounce, forgo, relinquish

3. to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.

verb (used without object)

• sacrifices,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sacrificed,
  past participle,  past
• sacrificing
  present participle

1. Baseball. to make a sacrifice hit.

   He sacrificed in the top of the fourth with a fly ball that brought in the go-ahead run from third base.

2. to offer or make a sacrifice.

sacrifice British  

/ ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs /

noun

1. a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil

2. a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity

3. a symbolic offering of something to a deity

4. the person, animal, or object surrendered, destroyed, killed, or offered

5. a religious ceremony involving one or more sacrifices

6. loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value

7. chess the act or an instance of sacrificing a piece

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verb

1. to make a sacrifice (of); give up, surrender, or destroy (a person, thing, etc)

2. chess to permit or force one's opponent to capture (a piece) freely, as in playing a combination or gambit

   he sacrificed his queen and checkmated his opponent on the next move

Usage

What does sacrifice mean? A sacrifice is something important or precious that is given up for the sake of gaining something or allowing something to happen that is considered more important, as in I had to work hard and make a lot of sacrifices to achieve success. The word can also refer to the habitual act of giving things up in this way, as in Achieving success requires hard work and sacrifice. Sacrifice can also be used as a verb meaning to give something up in this way, as in I had to work hard and sacrifice to achieve success. Sometimes, the word is used in situations involving surrendering something to prevent something bad from happening, as in She sacrificed herself to save us. In all of these cases, the thing being sacrificed can be tangible, like a valued object, or intangible, like time or health, as in, I would never sacrifice my health just to make more money. The word sacrifice is often used in the context of religion to refer to an offering or to the act of offering something to the god or gods being worshipped. Such a sacrifice might be an animal that is killed. The central figure of Christianity, Jesus, is viewed by Christians as having been a sacrifice for the sake of human salvation. The adjective sacrificial is used to describe things that involve or are given as sacrifices. Example: There is simply not enough money in the budget, so we’re all going to have to make sacrifices and give up some things that we’re used to having.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsacrifice
  noun
• presacrifice
  noun
• sacrificer
  noun
• supersacrifice
  noun
• nonsacrificing
  adjective
• sacrificeable
  adjective
• unsacrificeable
  adjective
• unsacrificed
  adjective
• unsacrificing
  adjective
• well-sacrificed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sacrifices
  plural

Participles

• sacrificing
  present
• sacrificed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sacrifice
  simple
• sacrifices
  simple
• have sacrificed
  perfect
• has sacrificed
  perfect
• am sacrificing
  progressive
• are sacrificing
  progressive
• is sacrificing
  progressive
• have been sacrificing
  perfect progressive
• has been sacrificing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sacrificed
  simple
• had sacrificed
  perfect
• was sacrificing
  progressive
• were sacrificing
  progressive
• had been sacrificing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sacrifice
  simple
• will have sacrificed
  perfect
• will be sacrificing
  progressive
• will have been sacrificing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sacrifice

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English sacrifice, sacrifis(e), from Old French sacrefise, sacrefice, from Latin sacrificium “offering made to a deity, sacrifice,” equivalent to sacri- (combining form of sacer “holy, sacred”) + -fic-, combining form of facere “to make, build, construct” + -ium noun suffix; see origin at do ¹; see also -ium ( def. )

Explanation

A sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause. Parents sacrifice time and sleep to take care of their children, while kids might sacrifice TV time to hang out with mom and dad. Though no longer used only in a religious context, sacrifice comes from the Latin sacra and facere, meaning "to perform sacred rites." If you've studied ancient cultures like the Incas, you've probably heard of "human sacrifice," where a person is killed in a sacred ceremony to please the gods. But thankfully those kinds of sacrifices don't happen anymore.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sacrifice sacrifices sacrificed sacrificing

Other approaches that prioritize activity may sacrifice long-term stability.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Public programs are created for the collective good, precisely so they don’t have to rely on voluntary sacrifice or individual goodwill.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

As he visualized Obi-Wan’s sacrifice and the Mos Eisley cantina, he drew associations between sounds and environments that have informed his creative choices ever since.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

It’s a sacrifice that gave the Knicks the room to assemble what would become the core of the 2026 NBA Championship run.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

As time passed, I grew more mature and more aware of the sacrifice it had taken for my people to live and grow up in the South all those many years before me.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Coaching at this level was about making sacrifices for the love of the game.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

At an estate nestled in New York’s Hudson Valley, a group of high achievers gathered to talk about the sacrifices and disappointments that can come with success.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

For decades, their families could look back at their sacrifices in sorrow but also in pride at how their lives had forged a true American democracy.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Throughout the film, alongside the contemplation on the sacrifices he’s made for his work, McElwee repeatedly revisits the importance of filmmaking from different angles: as a tool for preservation, for storytelling, for survival.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

Hitler calls for every German to fulfill his duty and make sacrifices.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

The findings also overturn a long-held idea about the people sacrificed near Shimao's East Gate.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

"He really sacrificed for the collective good. This is very important in my squad. In my opinion he played a great World Cup."

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

The author’s final portrait of an entertainment industry sacrificed on the altar of streaming services and superhero franchises isn’t, after all, the end of the story.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

They also sacrificed their own dreams so their children and grandchildren could achieve theirs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

I ask, thinking of my father, who in seeking my safety would have sacrificed my happiness.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Here’s where to have an exceptional dinner in L.A. without sacrificing your budget.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Micron’s wide portfolio, from high-bandwidth memory to storage, has also given it “the luxury of growth without sacrificing profitability,” Weathers added.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

With those adjustments, the team successfully produced cemented carbide through AM without sacrificing its hardness.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Flanked by a tight, three piece band, the set was less demanding from a body-slamming perspective, without sacrificing the energy of the music.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

I could feel myself pulling away, retreating inward, wanting to save him and myself by sacrificing this newfound happiness, and I knew he felt it happening.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi