sacrifice

[ sak-ruh-fahys ]

/ ˈsæk rəˌfaɪs /

See synonyms for: sacrifice / sacrificed / sacrifices / sacrificing on Thesaurus.com

noun

the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.

the person, animal, or thing so offered.

the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

the thing so surrendered or devoted.

a loss incurred in selling something below its value.

Also called sacrifice bunt, sacrifice hit .Baseball. a bunt made when there are fewer than two players out, not resulting in a double play, that advances the base runner nearest home without an error being committed if there is an attempt to put the runner out, and that results in either the batter's being put out at first base, reaching first on an error made in the attempt for the put-out, or being safe because of an attempt to put out another runner.

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

to make a sacrifice or offering of.

to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.

to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.

Baseball. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a sacrifice.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

Baseball. to make a sacrifice: He sacrificed with two on and none out.

to offer or make a sacrifice.

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

8 relinquish, forgo, renounce.

See synonyms for sacrifice on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of sacrifice

1225–75; (noun) Middle English <Old French <Latin sacrificium, equivalent to sacri- (combining form of sacer holy) + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do¹ + -ium-ium; (v.) Middle English sacrifisen, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjectivesac·ri·fic·er, nounnon·sac·ri·fice, nounnon·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjective

pre·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb, pre·sac·ri·ficed, pre·sac·ri·fic·ing.su·per·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb (used with object), su·per·sac·ri·ficed, su·per·sac·ri·fic·ing.un·sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjectiveun·sac·ri·ficed, adjectiveun·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjectivewell-sac·ri·ficed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

Unfortunately, the last month has changed the sacrifices we must make to try to avoid the coronavirus.
Why Even A Small Thanksgiving Is Dangerous|Maggie Koerth (maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com)|November 20, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
To express national gratitude requires rewarding national service as part of the social contract in exchange for sacrifice.
Veterans Day is a time to consider how to reward front-line covid-19 workers|James Grossman, Laura McEnaney|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
I know they’re itching to go see people, just like regular students, but you’ve got to make sacrifices in order to do what you want to do.
Pickup games, one-on-one and a wedding: How Virginia basketball spent the pandemic|Gene Wang|November 9, 2020|Washington Post
They don’t want to be watched over or babysat or told what to do, and I can understand that, but I’d like to believe we’re still capable of making a communal sacrifice.
‘Election Day is over, and guess what?’|Eli Saslow|November 9, 2020|Washington Post

There are still some solid options if you need to save cash, but you’ll more than likely find yourself making a couple of sacrifices.
Best wireless earbuds: Five things to consider|PopSci Commerce Team|October 30, 2020|Popular Science
The Good Wife leaves us wondering how many people have sacrificed their beliefs for their careers.
The Good Wife’s Religion Politics: Voters Have No Faith in Alicia's Atheism|Regina Lizik|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to Doha News, it was around this time that Al-Thani sacrificed his Supercomplication watch to pay for the debts.
The Mysterious Death of the Art World’s Favorite Sheikh|Lizzie Crocker|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Predictably, state funding for mental health services is sacrificed during downturns, like the Recession we just experienced.
Government Has Failed the Mentally Ill|Monica Potts|September 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were presumably brought down and sacrificed in ATM to help garner favor for a possibly ailing community.
The Cave Where Mayans Sacrificed Humans Is Open for Visitors|Nina Strochlic|August 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The adorned temple of Haldi was described as having multiple gates, where large numbers of animals were sacrificed.
Iraq’s Long-Lost Mythical Temple Has Been Found…and Is In Danger of Disappearing Again|Nina Strochlic|July 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She had sacrificed herself to him; therefore he had sacrificed himself to her.
When Ghost Meets Ghost|William Frend De Morgan
Then he sacrificed young men and maidens: but the blood still bubbled.
The Expositor's Bible|F. W. Farrar
But "I have sacrificed the pleasure of meeting my loved ones, and given up all, for the good of this people."
The Story of a Life|J. Breckenridge Ellis
Robespierre might have saved Danton: he preferred to let him be sacrificed.
The French Revolution|Hilaire Belloc
And yet, after the stress of war, she had sacrificed all that she held most dear in order to become the friend of Weirmarsh.
The Doctor of Pimlico|William Le Queux

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

sacrifice

/ (ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs) /

noun

a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil

a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity

a symbolic offering of something to a deity

the person, animal, or object surrendered, destroyed, killed, or offered

a religious ceremony involving one or more sacrifices

loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value

chess the act or an instance of sacrificing a piece

verb

to make a sacrifice (of); give up, surrender, or destroy (a person, thing, etc)

chess to permit or force one's opponent to capture (a piece) freely, as in playing a combination or gambithe sacrificed his queen and checkmated his opponent on the next move

Derived forms of sacrifice

sacrificeable, adjectivesacrificer, noun

Word Origin for sacrifice

C13: via Old French from Latin sacrificium, from sacer holy + facere to make

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

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sacrifice

noun

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Origin of sacrifice

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

noun

verb

Derived forms of sacrifice

Word Origin for sacrifice

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

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WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

sacrifice

noun

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Origin of sacrifice

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

Words related to sacrifice

Example sentences from the Web for sacrifice

British Dictionary definitions for sacrifice

noun

verb

Derived forms of sacrifice

Word Origin for sacrifice