devoted himself to doing

USAGE SUMMARY

'devoted himself to doing' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe someone who has dedicated themselves to something, for example, "After graduating, he devoted himself to doing charitable work in his local community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Since the day he was first sworn in as President, in February, 1999, he devoted himself to doing precisely that.

The New Yorker

"My father devoted himself to doing what he could to enable his family, his friends and others to come back and live again," said his son David.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As Bill Clinton's vice president, he devoted himself to raising money and doing political favors -- and collecting i.o.u.'s from local and state politicians across the country.

The New York Times

Gandhi was painfully aware of the see-saws of history, and devoted himself to find ways to win that didn't simply set up the next the loss -- but rather gained permanent, irreversible ground.

Huffington Post

But with the means to do so, he devoted himself to collecting and put the building to another use.

The New York Times - Sports

He could easily have walked away but didn't, and instead devoted himself to succeeding.

The Guardian - Opinion

Thoreau's thought him crazy going to Walden, as did colleagues when Carl Jung devoted himself to building his retreat place away from the noise of city.

Huffington Post

While Mr. Ledner had workers do the heavy lifting, he devoted himself to salvaging and reconfiguring the offbeat details that give the house much of its character.

The New York Times

Mazarin's resolution to devote himself to Richelieu did not prevent him from also obtaining the patronage of Cardinal Barberini, the youngest nephew of Pope Urban VIII.

Encyclopedia Britannica

I ignored him through oppositional behavior, later reasoning that only an idiot sets out to find the poorhouse, not to mention devote himself to something he doesn't love.

Harvard University

Burnt out by too many long nights fueled by drugs and alarmed watching one after another of his friends die from a mysterious disease, he made a conscious choice to drop out of the club scene, devoting himself to getting clean and doing what he could to fight the epidemic.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "devoted himself to doing" to clearly communicate a strong sense of dedication and commitment to a particular activity or goal. This phrase is most effective when describing long-term efforts or significant life choices.

Common error

While effective, "devoted himself to doing" can become repetitive. Vary your language by using alternatives like "dedicated his efforts to", "committed himself to", or more specific verbs that capture the essence of the activity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "devoted himself to doing" functions as a verb phrase expressing dedication or commitment to a particular action. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It emphasizes the subject's strong focus and energy directed towards an activity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

33%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "devoted himself to doing" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that communicates a strong sense of commitment and dedication to a particular action. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While relatively rare, it appears most frequently in news and media, as well as in academic contexts. Alternatives like "dedicated himself to performing" or "committed himself to undertaking" can provide stylistic variation. To ensure clarity, avoid overusing the phrase and consider more specific verbs to capture the essence of the activity more precisely.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Dedicated himself to performing

Replaces "doing" with "performing", emphasizing the execution of tasks.

Committed himself to undertaking

Uses "committed" instead of "devoted" and "undertaking" instead of "doing", highlighting a formal pledge.

Applied himself to executing

Focuses on the application of effort to achieve specific actions.

Dedicated his efforts towards accomplishing

This alternative uses a noun phrase ("his efforts") to show dedication.

Poured his energy into completing

Emphasizes the investment of energy into finishing tasks.

Gave himself over to achieving

Implies a surrender to the pursuit of certain achievements.

Set about the task of fulfilling

Highlights the commencement of a duty or task.

Made it his mission to realize

Indicates a personal commitment to bring something into reality.

Concentrated on bringing about

Focuses on the act of causing or creating a specific result.

Embraced the challenge of enacting

Highlights the willingness to accept difficulty in implementing something.

FAQs

How can I use "devoted himself to doing" in a sentence?

You can use "devoted himself to doing" to describe someone who has dedicated significant time and energy to a specific activity. For example, "After retiring, he "devoted himself to doing" volunteer work".

What are some alternatives to "devoted himself to doing"?

Some alternatives include "dedicated himself to performing", "committed himself to undertaking", or "applied himself to executing", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is "devoted himself to doing" formal or informal?

"Devoted himself to doing" is generally considered a neutral to slightly formal phrase, suitable for both news articles and academic writing. However, it may be too strong for casual conversation.

Which is more appropriate: "devoted himself to doing" or "dedicated himself to doing"?

Both "devoted himself to doing" and "dedicated himself to doing" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference or stylistic variation. "Dedicated himself to performing" might be more appropriate in some cases.