consecrate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt How to pronounce consecrate (audio)
Definition of consecratenext
as in holy
set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God the consecrate gold tablets which Joseph Smith claimed to have found

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

consecrate

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to dedicate
to keep or intend for a special purpose a philanthropist who consecrated his considerable fortune to an array of charitable causes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bless
to make holy through prayers or ritual plans to consecrate the altar in the new church with great ceremony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb consecrate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of consecrate are dedicate, devote, and hallow. While all these words mean "to set apart for a special and often higher end," consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

When can dedicate be used instead of consecrate?

While the synonyms dedicate and consecrate are close in meaning, dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

When would devote be a good substitute for consecrate?

The meanings of devote and consecrate largely overlap; however, devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

When is it sensible to use hallow instead of consecrate?

In some situations, the words hallow and consecrate are roughly equivalent. However, hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of consecrate
Adjective
Lana Del Rey doesn’t toy with signs—of American glamour and its decay, of female melancholia and racial desire—so much as consecrate them. — Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2023
Verb
In the late 1980s, its ‌founder ⁠Marcel Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without the approval of Pope John Paul II, leading those involved to be excommunicated. — Reuters, NBC news, 5 July 2026 In 1988 Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without the approval of Pope John Paul II. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for consecrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consecrate
  1. holy
  2. dedicate
  3. bless
  4. sacred
  5. devote
  6. consecrated
Adjective
  • Once upon a time, Herzog was the crazy visionary, determined at all costs to realize his aesthetic ambitions to feel more, to see deeper, to explore the madness of the world, a bit of a holy fool himself.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Most Indians were part of groups visiting the Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in Tibet, holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of holy
Verb
  • Parton’s star was dedicated in June 1984 in the same dedication ceremony as Sylvester Stallone’s and is located on 6712 Hollywood Blvd.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Although not quite as polished on the racial politics front, Lanterns’s third episode is no less intriguing, as an hour of television dedicated not only to answering pressing questions but fleshing out its lead character in disturbing ways.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dedicate
Verb
  • Not for nothing has White Barn Inn been blessed with just about every hospitality and dining award possible—from the endless applause of regional magazines and AAA five diamond ratings to a spot on Traveler's Gold List.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Heads of state, parents of book recipients, music fans, movie fans and, like me, women who felt blessed to have had such a glamorous role model publicly mourned the loss.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of bless
Adjective
  • If this has proved conflicting, Gibney does not let on, marching from sacred target to sacred target with little apparent tentativeness.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The gossamer thread holding the sacred feminine maelstrom together?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacred
Verb
  • In the later years of her life, Eastman settled in Montana and devoted herself to animal advocacy.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In order to keep playing shows these past few years, Frampton has devoted himself to an intensive workout regime that minimizes the impact of IBM.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of devote
Adjective
  • Beside the three-story, 9-bed, 11-bath, 1,900-square-meter (20,450 square feet) main property sit good houses for the gardener, the caretaker, various garages, even a small consecrated church.
    — Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The excommunication applies to the newly consecrated bishops, any SSPX priest and anyone who formally adheres to the society.
    — Emily Broyles, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026
Definition of consecrated

Browse Nearby Words

conscripts
consecrate
consecrated
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Cite this Entry

“Consecrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consecrate. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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