dedicate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to set apart and consecrate to a deity or to a sacred purpose.
The ancient Greeks dedicated many shrines to Aphrodite.
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to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose.
He dedicated his life to fighting corruption.
- Synonyms:
- consecrate, pledge, commit
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to offer formally (a book, piece of music, etc.) to a person, cause, or the like in testimony of affection or respect, as on a prefatory page.
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(loosely) to inscribe a personal signature on (a book, drawing, etc., that is one's own work), usually with a salutation addressing the recipient.
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to mark the official completion or opening of (a public building, monument, highway, etc.), usually by formal ceremonies.
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to set aside for or assign to a specific function, task, or purpose.
The county health agency has dedicated one inspector to monitor conditions in nursing homes.
adjective
verb
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(often foll by to) to devote (oneself, one's time, etc) wholly to a special purpose or cause; commit wholeheartedly or unreservedly
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(foll by to) to address or inscribe (a book, artistic performance, etc) to a person, cause, etc as a token of affection or respect
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(foll by to) to request or play (a record) on radio for another person as a greeting
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to assign or allocate to a particular project, function, etc
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to set apart for a deity or for sacred uses; consecrate
adjective
Synonym Usage
See devote.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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prededicateverb (used with object)
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dedicateenoun
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overdedicateverb (used with object)
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dedicatornoun
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rededicateverb (used with object)
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dedicatoryadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has dedicatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have dedicatedperfect
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are dedicatingprogressive
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is dedicatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am dedicatingprogressive 1st person singular
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dedicatingparticiple
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have been dedicatingperfect progressive
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has been dedicatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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dedicatessingular 3rd person
Past
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had dedicatedperfect
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were dedicatingprogressive plural
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was dedicatingprogressive singular
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had been dedicatingperfect progressive
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dedicatedparticiple
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dedicatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of dedicate
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (verb and adjective) from Latin dēdicātus, past participle of dēdicāre “to declare, devote,” equivalent to dē- “from, away, out of” + dicāre “to indicate, consecrate,” akin to dīcere “to say, speak”; see de-, dictate)
Explanation
To dedicate is to assign, to commit or to give over. If you dedicate a song you’ve written to a friend, it means the song belongs to them. If you dedicate yourself to a project, it means you give yourself to it. Things you may be dedicated to include your family, improving your local park, or attempting to break the world record for making the world's biggest rubber band ball. A dedicated resource is one committed to a specific mission, such as the computer room at your school being dedicated, or given over, to newspaper production every Tuesday afternoon.
Vocabulary lists containing dedicate
List 1
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Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" (1863)
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List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Even if this is a universal film, I want to dedicate this prize to all Iranians," Satrapi told AFP at the time.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
The vibrancy of the current electronic music scene led Radio 1 to dedicate day one of Big Weekend to its Dance Party brand for the first time.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
It feels impractical and slightly antiquated to dedicate more than a little bit of time, energy and money to each person you’re likely to never see again.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
How much of her life does she dedicate to domesticity, now that she’s reunited with her ex, Miles?
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
“We’ll dedicate a room to them, which one do you think they would like?”
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
