CONSECRATE Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

consecrate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt

Definition of consecrate next

as in holy

set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God the consecrate gold tablets which Joseph Smith claimed to have found

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

consecrate

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bless

to make holy through prayers or ritual plans to consecrate the altar in the new church with great ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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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

This means that Teste consecrates himself to a basically hypothetical existence. —

Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024 Part 2, on Sunday, is an inaugural Mass, with special rites to consecrate the main altar. —

John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for consecrate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consecrate

Adjective

The label’s Orange tab, for one, is a holy grail for 1960s-era flared jeans; the Silver tab reflects grungier styles from the 1980s and 1990s.

— Christian Allaire, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2025
Chandler is one of several side characters John encounters on his journey who stand in for the hoards of people who encouraged him, either explicitly or implicitly, to pursue North Sentinel as a holy grail.

— Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025