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

A farmer, Satyaprakash Bharadwaj, described Wangchuk as "a diamond" who is "willing to sacrifice his life" for the younger generation.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

We watched our parents sacrifice, we struggled to move up, and we vowed our children would have it easier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

It reveals the true continuity of sacrifice required to sustain this republic, beyond the written framework of its founding documents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

This is why Messi's Argentina colleagues are willing to sacrifice themselves when it comes to the donkey work.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

“The paper chain project is over. This is a school. We can’t sacrifice our gym indefinitely because a few people are disappointed.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

I am not nostalgic for poverty or for war—my family’s sacrifices were real costs, not romantic ones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

The film stops several yellow bricks short of erecting a temple to the sacrifices of fame.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

But the sacrifices it would take to make parenting possible simply didn’t feel worth it.

From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026

"It's been recognised by an authority, which it never was before. He is now an entry in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. All the sacrifices seem to have been worth it."

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

“We’re all making sacrifices right now,” Dad says, standing up.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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

In 2024, he sacrificed the 500 ranking points he had won at the Washington Open the previous year to partner Sir Andy Murray for his final tournament at the Paris Olympics.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Just remember those are teenagers out there who’ve sacrificed and spent years working toward this moment.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

These protesters sacrificed their own safety to secure something deemed even more sacred: their right to vote.

From Slate ● May 22, 2026

Before the madwoman was born, her mother had sacrificed a baby to the Witch.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

All those soft herbs bring freshness without sacrificing the comfort factor, making the dressing feel as creamy as ever but far less one-note.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

Extreme heat can create excess strain on your AC — but experts say there are proactive measures that you can take to cut costs without sacrificing comfort.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

“Lineage is committed to the fastest cleanup that is possible without sacrificing health, safety, and regulatory compliance,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

He has said he is open to dialogue with the U.S. as long as talk of sacrificing North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is taken off the table.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

He placed one couch on top of another, sacrificing one to save the other.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers