Meaning & use
sanctify
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformalreligion
To make something holy or to set it apart for a sacred purpose, especially in a religious ceremony.
Grammar: Takes an object: sanctify the bread. Often used in passive: 'be sanctified'.
Patterns
- sanctify something
- be sanctified by something
The priest sanctified the new church with a special prayer.
In some traditions, water is sanctified before it is used in baptism.
The ground was sanctified and later became a pilgrimage site.
verbtransitivefigurativeformal
To make something seem holy or worthy of great respect, often in a non-religious way.
Grammar: Takes an object; often used figuratively about ideas or institutions.
Patterns
- sanctify something
- be sanctified by tradition
Time has sanctified the old library in the eyes of the townspeople.
The constitution is often sanctified in political speech.
His memory was sanctified by decades of storytelling.
Word forms
| third person singular | sanctifies |
|---|---|
| past tense | sanctified |
| past participle | sanctified |
| -ing form | sanctifying |
Common combinations
- sanctify a place
- The bishop came to sanctify the new chapel.
- sanctify marriage
- Many religions teach that marriage is sanctified by God.
- be sanctified by
- The ritual is sanctified by centuries of tradition.
- sanctify the name of
- The prayer begins by sanctifying the name of the Lord.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bless
- Bless is more general and can be done by a person; sanctify specifically means to make holy or set apart for sacred use.
- consecrate
- Consecrate is very close but often refers to officially dedicating something to a religious purpose, while sanctify can also be figurative.
- hallow
- Hallow is an older, more literary word, seen mainly in prayers like 'hallowed be thy name'.
Opposites
Word family
- sanctification noun
- The act of making something holy or the state of being holy.
- sanctity noun
- The quality of being holy or very sacred.
- sanctified adjective
- Made holy or set apart for a sacred purpose.
Commonly confused: sanctify or sacrifice?
sanctify vs sacrifice
Sacrifice means to give up something valuable or to offer something to a god; sanctify means to make holy. They sound somewhat similar but have different meanings.
Practice
The church was ______ by the bishop in a special ceremony last Sunday.
Choose one answer.
Sanctified means made holy, which fits a church ceremony. Sacrificed means given up or offered as a sacrifice; sanctioned means officially approved or punished; satisfied means pleased or fulfilled — none fit the context of making a building holy.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sanctify”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.