ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sacrificing

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsækɹəˌfaɪsɪŋ// UK //sˈækɹɪfˌaɪsɪŋ// sac·ri·fic·ing

v. giving up something important to get something else or to help someone. It often means losing something you value for a bigger reason.

v. giving up something valued for the sake of other considerations or to benefit another person. Present participle of 'sacrifice'; functions as the head of a verb phrase or as a gerund.


SIMPLE

She is sacrificing her weekends to finish the project.

CONTEXTUAL

By sacrificing short-term profits for long-term sustainability, the company gained the trust of its environmentally conscious customers.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's journey concludes with him sacrificing his personal happiness for the greater good of his community, a classic trope in tragic literature.

Synonyms
Usage

Transitive; requires a direct object representing the thing being given up. Often followed by 'for' to indicate the purpose or recipient.

Pitfall

He is sacrificing for his career his health.He is sacrificing his health for his career.The direct object (the thing being lost) should immediately follow the verb before the prepositional phrase.

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