CONSECRATE Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

consecrate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt

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

Relevance

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

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

For the Gulf states, a nuclear deal would align their strategy with Washington’s Middle East policy, which could then be consecrated in a formal strategic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia. —

Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2025 The dean of the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals will consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ and invite the faithful to receive Holy Communion following the Communion Rite, or the Our Father prayer. —

Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consecrate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consecrate

Adjective

Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest in Shiite Islam, making the protests there carry heavy significance for the country's theocracy.

— CBS News, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
An administrative office and library were charred by the flames, according to multiple reports, and several Torahs, Jewish holy texts rolled into large scrolls, were ruined or damaged.

— James Powel, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026