sanctify

verb

sanc·ti·fy ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌfī

sanctified; sanctifying

Synonyms of sanctify

transitive verb

: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : consecrate

: to free from sin : purify

: to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to

: to give moral or social sanction to

: to make productive of holiness or piety

Observe the day of the sabbath, to sanctify it …—Deuteronomy 5:12 (Douay Version)

Examples of sanctify in a Sentence

The priest sanctified their marriage. The constitution sanctified the rights of the people.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

For King, defending a people did not mean sanctifying a state. — Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026 When a couple marry in a church, synagogue or mosque, the ceremony does more than sanctify a union. — Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026 Like much of the first half of the episode, before the plane crash, this gala sequence is shot in silky gold colors, as if John and Carolyn had already been sanctified. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026 An overexposed photo shows Miralba from the torso up, looking into a white sky, with a ray of light almost sanctifying her face. — Camila Osorio, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sanctify

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Anglo-French seintefier, sanctifier, from Late Latin sanctificare, from Latin sanctus sacred — more at saint

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of sanctify was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

sanctifier

sanctify

sanctimonial

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sanctify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctify. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sanctify

verb

sanc·ti·fy ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌfī

sanctified; sanctifying

: to set apart as sacred

: to make free from sin

sanctification

ˌsaŋ(k)-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən

noun

sanctify

verb

Synonyms of sanctify

Examples of sanctify in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on sanctify

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes