Consecrate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt/ con·se·crate

Meaning & Definition of Consecrate

Consecrate (adjective)

  1. dedicated to a sacred purpose

Consecrate (verb)

  1. to induct (a person) into a permanent office with a religious rite; especially, to ordain to the office of bishop
  2. to make or declare sacred; especially, to devote irrevocably to the worship of God by a solemn ceremony
  3. to effect the liturgical transubstantiation of (eucharistic bread and wine)

Consecrate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God

    "the consecrate gold tablets which Joseph Smith claimed to have found"

    similar: blessed, consecrated, hallowed, holy, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct, sanctified
    related: adored, enshrined, glorified, revered, venerated, worshipped, ceremonial, liturgical, priestly, religious, ritual, sacramental, spiritual, biblical, scriptural
    opposite: deconsecrated, desacralized, unconsecrated, unhallowed
    near: nonreligious, unspiritual, earthly, mundane, profane, secular, temporal, worldly

Consecrate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to keep or intend for a special purpose

    "a philanthropist who consecrated his considerable fortune to an array of charitable causes"

    similar: allocate, dedicate, devote, earmark, give up (to), reserve, save, set by, set apart, set aside
    related: bless, hallow, sanctify, commit, confide, consign, entrust, apply, bestow, employ, use
    near: ignore, neglect, misapply, misuse

  2. to make holy through prayers or ritual

    "plans to consecrate the altar in the new church with great ceremony"

    similar: bless, hallow, sacralize, sanctify
    related: baptize, canonize, spiritualize, chasten, cleanse, lustrate, purify, exorcise, expurgate, commit, dedicate, devote, reconsecrate
    opposite: deconsecrate, desacralize, desanctify
    near: defile, desecrate, profane, dirty, foul, pollute, soil, taint, violate, blaspheme, curse, cuss, damn, execrate, cast out, condemn, punish

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Consecrate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Consecrate:

blessed, consecrated, hallowed, holy, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct, sanctified, allocate, dedicate, devote, earmark, give up (to), reserve, save, set by, bless, hallow, sacralize, sanctify, set apart, set aside

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Consecrate

Words with the opposite meaning of Consecrate:

deconsecrated, desacralized, unconsecrated, unhallowed, deconsecrate, desacralize, desanctify

Related Words for Consecrate

adored, enshrined, glorified, revered, venerated, worshipped, ceremonial, liturgical, priestly, religious, ritual, sacramental, spiritual, biblical, scriptural, commit, confide, consign, entrust, apply, bestow, employ, use, baptize, canonize, spiritualize, chasten, cleanse, lustrate, purify

Near Antonyms of Consecrate

nonreligious, unspiritual, earthly, mundane, profane, secular, temporal, worldly, ignore, neglect, misapply, misuse, defile, desecrate, dirty, foul, pollute, soil, taint, violate, blaspheme, curse, cuss, damn, execrate, cast out, condemn, punish

Word Forms of Consecrate

Inflections: consecrated, consecrating

Derived words: consecrative (adjective), consecrator (noun), consecratory (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Consecrate

Middle English, from Latin consecratus, past participle of consecrare, from com- + sacrare to consecrate sacred

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Consecrate

Words & Phrases Containing Consecrate

consecrate oneself

Frequently Asked Questions about Consecrate

What does "Consecrate" mean?

"Consecrate" means dedicated to a sacred purpose. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: dedicated to a sacred purpose. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Consecrate"?

Other words for "Consecrate" include blessed, consecrated, hallowed, holy, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct and sanctified. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Consecrate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Consecrate"?

There are 55 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Consecrate". Common alternatives include blessed, consecrated, hallowed, holy, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct, sanctified, allocate and dedicate.

What is the opposite of "Consecrate"?

Antonyms of "Consecrate" include deconsecrated, desacralized, unconsecrated, unhallowed, deconsecrate, desacralize and desanctify. Near antonyms include nonreligious, unspiritual, earthly and mundane.

How do you use "Consecrate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Consecrate" in a sentence: "the consecrate gold tablets which Joseph Smith claimed to have found"; "a philanthropist who consecrated his considerable fortune to an array of charitable causes"; "plans to consecrate the altar in the new church with great ceremony".

Is "Consecrate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Consecrate" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Consecrate" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Consecrate" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Consecrate"?

"Consecrate" is pronounced /ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt/ and divided into syllables as con·se·crate.