What does sanctification mean?
Sanctification is the process of making something holy or of becoming holy. In Christian theology, it commonly describes the spiritual transformation of a person through faith, discipline, and love, while in a broader context it can mean the act of setting a place, object, or purpose apart for sacred or elevated use. The word has a formal, solemn register and often carries connotations of moral purity, spiritual growth, and dedication. It is related to consecration, but consecration more specifically often describes a formal act of dedication, whereas sanctification can refer to an ongoing inner process. The term is also used figuratively in discussions of personal change, communal life, and the transformation of ordinary activity. Its Latin roots make its meaning especially clear: sanctus means “holy,” and facere means “to make.”
nounThe process of making something or someone holy, or the state of becoming holy. In religious contexts, it can also refer to the purification and spiritual transformation of a person or community.
- The process of becoming holy, morally purified, or spiritually transformed.
- The act of making or regarding something as holy and set apart for sacred use.
"The ceremony symbolized the sanctification of the building as a place of worship."
"The sermon emphasized the gradual process of sanctification through faith and good works."
"The dedication of the chapel was understood as a moment of sanctification."
The plural is used for multiple acts, processes, or instances of sanctification, particularly when referring to different people, places, or stages of spiritual transformation.
"The histories of several individual sanctifications are presented in the book."
The word means “making holy,” but in Christian theology it describes not merely a ceremony but a life being transformed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sanctification come from?
Sanctification comes through Latin from sanctificare, meaning “to make holy,” formed from sanctus (“holy”) and facere (“to make”). The related English words include sanctify, sanctity, sanctimonious, and saint, all reflecting the same Latin foundation of holiness. The noun entered English in the early modern period and became especially established in theological writing.
How sanctification is actually used
The word is formal and strongly associated with religion, theology, and moral philosophy. Outside religious writing, it can sound solemn, elevated, or moralizing.
Easily confused with sanctification
Consecration usually refers to the formal act of setting something apart for sacred use, while sanctification more broadly denotes making something holy or becoming holy.
Sanctimony refers to an outwardly strict or affected display of religious virtue, whereas sanctification denotes the process or state of being made holy.