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Glite Dictionary
to sanctify

to sanctify

24 7.4
To make a person or place holy with a religious ceremony
  • verb
  • /ˈsæŋk.tɪ.faɪ/
translation icon : consagrar
  • A special ritual is performed to sanctify the water for the baptism.
  • sanctifying grace
  • become sanctified
  • sanctified areas

Places like Benares and Fatima in Portugal, places have been sanctified in some way or other.

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Examples

  • Magnified and sanctified be the name of the Holy One

    Judas (2004)

  • In doing so, the Word sanctified the whole cosmos.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Moreover, it seemed to sanctify her in the minds of the viewers.

    Academic text (1990)

  • I would like to give him a proper burial in sanctified ground.

    Freedomland (2006)

  • We are gathered here this evening to sanctify the union between our benevolent master and his new bride from the Alexander bloodline.

    The Invitation (2022)

  • Bless and sanctify, Lord, the love uniting Juan Pablo and Ana Margarita.

    Wasp Network (2020)

  • Thus, the sacraments were instituted for the sake not only of signifying but of sanctifying.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The priest will sanctify the new church during the ceremony this Sunday.

  • They decided to sanctify the land before beginning construction on the temple.

Synonyms

to bless
vsto sanctify
  • Formal
624 3.5

To make something holy by a religious act

relies more on formal ceremony or ritual than a simple act
to hallow
vsto sanctify
  • Formal
52 8.9

To make a place or thing holy by a religious ceremony

focuses on making holy usually within formal religious practice
to dedicate
vsto sanctify
  • Formal
43 5.3

To make a building for religious use by a ceremony

is used generally for making people or things holy, not just places
to consecrate
vsto sanctify
  • Formal
33 7.4

To make a place or person holy by a ceremony

is used to make holy often through blessing or ceremonial rites
to purify
vsto sanctify
  • Formal
28 5.1

To make someone feel morally clean and free from guilt

focuses on declaring holiness rather than cleansing moral faults
to sacralize
vsto sanctify
9.9

To make something seem holy or deeply religious

is more about formal making holy by ceremony than mere treatment

How Holy

to hallow
  • Formal
52 8.9
to consecrate
  • Formal
33 7.4
to sanctify
24 7.4
to anoint
23 6.8
to bless
  • Formal
624 3.5

Surface Forms

sanctify infinitive
sanctified past
sanctified past participle
sanctifying present participle
sanctifies third person singular

Morphology

sanctify = sanctity (transparent) = sanct + ify

The verb is formed by adding the productive verb-forming suffix '-ify' to the stem 'sanct-' (related to holiness), so learners familiar with 'sanctity' and '-ify' can infer 'make holy'.

Etymology

The word sanctify comes from the old Latin word sanctus, which means 'holy', and it is related to familiar words like saint and sanctuary. So, to sanctify is to make something 'holy' or to set it apart as special, often by a ceremony.