devote

American  

[dih-voht] / dɪˈvoʊt /

verb (used with object)

devoted, devoting

1. to give up or appropriate to or concentrate on a particular pursuit, occupation, purpose, cause, etc..

   to devote one's time to reading.

   Synonyms:

   consign, apply, assign

2. 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.

3. to commit to evil or destruction; doom.

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devote British  

/ dɪˈvəʊt /

verb

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

2. obsolete to curse or doom

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• devotement noun

Etymology

Origin of devote

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin dēvōtus “vowed,” past participle of dēvovēre “to vow,” from dē- de- + vovēre “to vow” ( vow )

Explanation

Devote means to give to. If you devote yourself to jump-roping, you might be found in your driveway every free moment of the day practicing. Nuns and priests are said to devote their lives to God. A knight in shining armor devotes himself to his lady. If you devote as much energy to your school work as you do to your hair, your grades should improve. If our country devoted to education even half of the resources we pour into defense, we could eliminate poverty.

Example Sentences

In an announcement Wednesday, Hasselskog said he is stepping down from his role as CEO in June in order to become chairman and devote more time to research and development, investors, and sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

"We've learned how much energy we need to devote to this."

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

For the Artemis astronauts, their time without contact with the Earth will allow them to devote all of their attention to the Moon.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

“As a user,” Krug argues, “I should never have to devote a millisecond of thought to whether things are clickable—or not.”

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

Luma figured she could devote a few hours a week to a soccer program and still keep Ashton’s running.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

Related Words

• allot
• apply
• assign
• dedicate
• donate
• give
• give away
• present