devote

[ dih-voht ]

/ dɪˈvoʊt /

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See synonyms for: devote / devoted on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), de·vot·ed, de·vot·ing.

to give up or appropriate to or concentrate on a particular pursuit, occupation, purpose, cause, etc.: to devote one's time to reading.

to appropriate by or as if by a vow; set apart or dedicate by a solemn or formal act; consecrate: She devoted her life to God.

to commit to evil or destruction; doom.

OTHER WORDS FOR devote

1 assign, apply, consign.

See synonyms for devote on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of devote

1580–90; <Latin dēvōtus vowed (past participle of dēvovēre), equivalent to dē-de- + vōtus;see vote, vow

synonym study for devote

2. Devote, dedicate, consecrate share the sense of assigning or applying someone or something to an activity, function, or end. Devote, though it has some overtones of religious dedication, is the most general of the three terms: He devoted his free time to mastering the computer. Dedicate is more solemn and carries an ethical or moral tone: We are dedicated to the achievement of equality for all. Consecrate, even in nonreligious contexts, clearly implies a powerful and sacred dedication: consecrated to the service of humanity.

Words nearby devote

Devon Rex, Devonshire, Devonshire cream, Devonshire split, devoré, devote, devoted, devotee, devotion, devotional, De Voto

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use devote in a sentence

Founded and opened to the public in 1960, Storm King was intended as a museum devoted to Hudson River School painting.
Sculpture parks are a great way to see art during a pandemic. Here’s why some are better than others.|Sebastian Smee|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
So serious was Magpayo about coaching that he sold his company so he could devote all of his attention to pursuing a full-time position.
Asian Coaches Association advocates for ‘minority of minorities’ in college basketball|Gene Wang|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Ehrlich devotes lots of space to fascinating acquaintances like Jens Danielsen, a hunter in northern Greenland whom she first introduced to readers in her book This Cold Heaven.
What Gretel Ehrlich Gets Wrong About Climate Change|Erin Berger|February 8, 2021|Outside Online
There are entire corners of TikTok devoted to fast food hacks, elaborate “secret” orders, trying and reviewing new menu items, or influencers simply sharing their regular orders.
Celebrities have always done endorsements. Now they sell their fast food orders.|Jameson Rich|February 5, 2021|Vox

Barrera suggested that the Petco Park vaccination super station should have lanes devoted solely to educators.
Morning Report: MTS Review Urges Dozens of Changes|Voice of San Diego|February 5, 2021|Voice of San Diego
Yet both parties also devote millions each midterm to rally their bases and get out the vote.
Founding Fathers Loved Drunk Voters|Kevin Bleyer|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They would not be able to devote themselves so completely to service if they had a husband or kids,” asserts Piazza.
The World Would Go to Hell Without Nuns|William O’Connor|September 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You could devote the remainder of your life to the study of Arabic and you'd never truly be able to communicate with these people.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in Iraq|Nathan Bradley Bethea|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You asked us at that graduation so many years ago to devote our personal lives not just to doing well but to doing good.
An Open Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder: It’s Not About Race|Ron Christie|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When we started the theater, we decided to devote each play to a topic that is intentionally not discussed.
The Belarus Free Theatre’s Badass Dissident Artists Get the HBO Treatment|Katie Baker|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many had predicted that Robert would devote himself to Mrs. Pontellier when he arrived.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Probably they do not devote quite as much time to it as our caballeros, who are quite adepts in the science.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
Berlin was equally cut off from competition, for Berlin had to devote herself to the task of financing war for Germany.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
It was a time of day when Ki Pak was generally free from any official duty, and he was glad to devote a little time to his son.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
Messrs. Gaze and Sons had ordered their guide (or dragoman as he was called) to meet us and devote himself to our service.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow

British Dictionary definitions for devote

devote

/ (dɪˈvəʊt) /

verb (tr)

to apply or dedicate (oneself, time, money, etc) to some pursuit, cause, etc

obsolete to curse or doom

Derived forms of devote

devotement, noun

Word Origin for devote

C16: from Latin dēvōtus devoted, solemnly promised, from dēvovēre to vow; see de-, vow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

devote

OTHER WORDS FOR devote

Origin of devote

synonym study for devote

Words nearby devote

Words related to devote

How to use devote in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for devote

Derived forms of devote

Word Origin for devote