devote

verb

de·​vote di-ˈvōt How to pronounce devote (audio)
dē-
devoted; devoting

transitive verb

1
: to commit by a solemn act
devoted herself to serving God
2
: to give over or direct (time, money, effort, etc.) to a cause, enterprise, or activity
Part of the lecture was devoted to taking questions from the audience.
She devoted her life to public service.
devotement noun
Choose the Right Synonym for devote

devote, dedicate, consecrate, hallow mean to set apart for a special and often higher end.

devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.

devoted his evenings to study

dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.

dedicated her life to medical research

consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.

consecrate a church to the worship of God

hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.

battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots

Examples of devote in a Sentence

I conscientiously devote several hours every weekend to playing with my dog. planning a diplomatic career, she's been intensely devoting herself to the study of foreign languages in college
Recent Examples on the Web After touring as part of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band in 2000, Carmen devoted his attention to a Raspberries reunion in the mid-2000s. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 But for the past eight years, one corner of the internet has devoted every single day to determining the ideal method, debating the pros and cons of prerinsing, cutlery trays, dishwasher tablet brands, and whether hand washing is a crime. David Gilbert, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024 And at a synagogue attended by some of the most observant Jews in the country, members devoted a Torah scroll in memory of a soldier slain in Gaza. Natan Odenheimer, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Emmanuel Macron devoted an entire speech to the baguette’s consecration, brandishing a loaf of the bread onstage. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Arizona politicians have devoted lasting attention to free speech on college campuses over the last few years, particularly focused on Arizona State University, but the outcomes have been varied. The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 The Chinese Communist Party’s latest official account of its history, published in 2021 and covering a century, devotes more than a quarter of its 531 pages to its leader Xi Jinping’s first nine years in power. Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Affairs, 29 Feb. 2024 Many of these people were not devoted Royal Family watchers. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 29 Feb. 2024 An arrangement between the campaigns devoted one night of the convention largely to a speech by Jackson and a show of strength by his supporters. Ron Elving, NPR, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devote.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin devotus, past participle of devovēre, from de- + vovēre to vow

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devote was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near devote

Cite this Entry

“Devote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devote. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

devote

verb
de·​vote di-ˈvōt How to pronounce devote (audio)
devoted; devoting
1
: to set apart for a special purpose
devote land to farming
2
: to give (oneself) up to
devoted herself to her career

More from Merriam-Webster on devote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!