# dedicate

/ˈdɛdəˌkeɪt/ (US) · /dˈɛdɪkˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dedicate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to commit time or effort

verb · CEFR B2

to give most of your energy, time, or attention to a person, job, or activity.

For teachers: to devote oneself or one's resources to a particular task, cause, or person. Transitive, often used with the preposition 'to'.

- She decided to dedicate her life to helping children in need.
- The scientist dedicated her entire career to finding a cure for this rare disease, often working late into the night in her laboratory.

Usage: Commonly follows the pattern 'dedicate something/oneself to something'.

### 2. to inscribe a book or art

verb · CEFR B2

to say at the beginning of a book or song that it was written for a specific person.

For teachers: to address or inscribe a creative work to another person as a mark of respect, affection, or gratitude.

- The author chose to dedicate his first novel to his parents.
- In the opening pages, the composer dedicated the symphony to his mentor, acknowledging the profound influence the older man had on his style.

### 3. to officially open a building

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to hold a ceremony to officially open a new building or memorial.

For teachers: to designate a building, monument, or park for a specific purpose or person through a formal ceremony.

- The city will dedicate the new park to the soldiers who died in the war.
- The archbishop arrived to dedicate the new cathedral, performing a traditional ceremony that lasted several hours before the public was admitted.

### 4. to set aside for a purpose

verb · CEFR B2

to save something, like money or space, for one particular use.

For teachers: to set apart or earmark a resource for a specific function or objective.

- The company will dedicate a large part of its budget to new technology.
- The urban planning committee decided to dedicate the northern section of the lot exclusively to low-income housing projects.

## Examples

- She dedicates two hours to reading every night.
- The company dedicates a portion of its profits to environmental conservation projects.
- He dedicated his life's work to preserving the oral histories of indigenous communities before they vanished.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.