dedicate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to set apart and consecrate to a deity or to a sacred purpose.
The ancient Greeks dedicated many shrines to Aphrodite.
-
to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose.
He dedicated his life to fighting corruption.
- Synonyms:
- consecrate, pledge, commit
-
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.
-
(loosely) to inscribe a personal signature on (a book, drawing, etc., that is one's own work), usually with a salutation addressing the recipient.
-
to mark the official completion or opening of (a public building, monument, highway, etc.), usually by formal ceremonies.
-
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
-
(often foll by to) to devote (oneself, one's time, etc) wholly to a special purpose or cause; commit wholeheartedly or unreservedly
-
(foll by to) to address or inscribe (a book, artistic performance, etc) to a person, cause, etc as a token of affection or respect
-
(foll by to) to request or play (a record) on radio for another person as a greeting
-
to assign or allocate to a particular project, function, etc
-
to set apart for a deity or for sacred uses; consecrate
adjective
Synonym Usage
See devote.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dedicatesimple
-
dedicatessimple
-
have dedicatedperfect
-
has dedicatedperfect
-
are dedicatingprogressive
-
am dedicatingprogressive
-
is dedicatingprogressive
-
have been dedicatingperfect progressive
-
has been dedicatingperfect progressive
Past
-
dedicatedsimple
-
had dedicatedperfect
-
was dedicatingprogressive
-
were dedicatingprogressive
-
had been dedicatingperfect progressive
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" (1863)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The Storm Appeal and Dedicate a Tree campaigns were also used to protect the rare and endemic Arran Whitebeam at Glen Rosa on Arran.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Dedicate some time to learning everything you can about crypto.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 17, 2021
It gave him an idea: Dedicate part of his new bar as a lesbian space.
From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2018
Dedicate more of your pay raise to savings.
From Time • Aug. 4, 2016
Dedicate it to the cause of archery with the hope that in future days some one may pick it up and, pricking his finger on the barb, become inoculated with the romance of archery.
From Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Pope, Saxton
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.
