immolate
Low (C2)Formal, Literary, Academic
Definition
Meaning
to kill or destroy (someone or something) by fire, especially as an offering or sacrifice.
To sacrifice oneself or something valuable for a cause, principle, or belief; to suffer or accept great loss or destruction for a purpose.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly associated with ritualistic, sacrificial, or ideological contexts. Often implies a deliberate, dramatic, or symbolic act of destruction. In modern figurative use, it conveys extreme self-sacrifice or the complete consumption/destruction of something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare and formal in both varieties.
Connotations
Carries connotations of ancient ritual, martyrdom, fanaticism, or total commitment. Can have a negative connotation when describing violent extremism.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both general and academic corpora. Most common in historical, religious, or political discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] immolate [object][subject] immolate [reflexive pronoun] (self-immolate)[subject] be immolatedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “self-immolation (n.)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. Figurative use might appear in hyperbolic commentary: 'The CEO immolated the company's reputation with that scandal.'
Academic
Used in history, religious studies, political science, and literature to describe ritual sacrifice or extreme ideological acts.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used for dramatic, often humorous, exaggeration: 'I immolated my chances by arriving late.'
Technical
Not typically used in scientific or technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Protestors threatened to immolate themselves if their demands were not met.
- The ancient text describes how the king would immolate a white bull at the altar.
American English
- The cult leader ordered his followers to immolate their possessions.
- He felt he had immolated his own future for a lost cause.
adjective
British English
- The immolatory rites were banned by the new regime.
American English
- His was an immolatory act of political protest.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The rebels vowed to immolate the government's flags in the town square.
- She felt she had immolated her personal life for her career.
- The dissident's decision to self-immolate brought international attention to the regime's brutality.
- In his desperate strategy, he was willing to immolate the company's short-term profits to secure its long-term survival.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MOLTEN (hot, liquid) statue being used as an offering – I(M)MOLATE.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAUSE/IDEA IS A SACRIFICIAL FIRE (e.g., 'He immolated his career for his principles' maps the abstract concept of 'sacrificing a career' onto the physical act of ritual burning).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'иммобилизовать' (to immobilize). The Russian cognate 'иммолировать' is an extremely rare, direct borrowing, not a common word. The concept is usually rendered as 'принести в жертву (огнём)' or 'совершить самосожжение'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'immolate' (to harass) or 'immolate' (to isolate).
- Misspelling as 'immoliate' or 'imolate'.
- Using it in casual contexts where 'burn', 'destroy', or 'sacrifice' would be more natural and understood.
Practice
Quiz
In its most common modern figurative sense, 'immolate' means to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it literally means setting oneself on fire, often as protest (e.g., Tibetan monks), it is frequently used figuratively to mean 'ruining oneself for a cause' (e.g., 'political self-immolation').
Yes. Historically, it referred to burning offerings like animals or goods. Figuratively, it can be used for abstract concepts: 'immolate one's reputation', 'immolate evidence'.
No. It is a rare, formal, and dramatic word. In most contexts, 'sacrifice', 'burn', or 'destroy' are more appropriate and understandable.
Immolation (the act of immolating). Self-immolation is a specific compound noun.