bestow

verb

bi-ˈstō How to pronounce bestow (audio)
Definition of bestownext
1
as in to donate
to make a present of bestowed a new car on their son for graduation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to accommodate
to provide with living quarters or shelter eventually the refugee family was bestowed in its own apartment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bestow contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bestow are afford, confer, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would afford be a good substitute for bestow?

In some situations, the words afford and bestow are roughly equivalent. However, afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade
a development that affords us some hope

When is confer a more appropriate choice than bestow?

While in some cases nearly identical to bestow, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can donate take the place of bestow?

The meanings of donate and bestow largely overlap; however, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use give instead of bestow?

While the synonyms give and bestow are close in meaning, give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms
gave her a ride on a pony
give my love to your mother

When might present be a better fit than bestow?

The synonyms present and bestow are sometimes interchangeable, but present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bestow That Harper said Bell bestowed upon him the distinction of being her favorite co-star. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2025 Despite losing the supporting actress Oscar that year, the following year the Academy bestowed Bassett an honorary Oscar at the Governor Awards. —Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025 Carpenter also added more theatrics, by bestowing a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs to an excited Brown. —Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025 Trump bestowed on himself the monarchical moniker on Wednesday after proclaiming victory over New York’s new car-traffic toll plan for Manhattan. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bestow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestow
  1. donate
  2. accommodate
  3. give
  4. house
  5. volunteer
  6. shelter
  7. provide
  8. lodge
Verb
  • Anyone in South Florida can donate time or money to ROWW.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
  • While Black patients generously made up almost 15% of donors who donated organs after death in 2024, this still leaves a racial imbalance in the pool of donors compared to the many more who need a transplant.
    — Andrew Jones, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of donate
Verb
  • Baby Hour, something that savvy urban restaurants are increasingly keen to accommodate.
    — Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Seven sites are projected to accommodate more than 1.5 million people with temporary housing, provided to the displaced during the reconstruction process.
    — Emma Graham, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of accommodate
Verb
  • Then again, perhaps the world of Goop is not so far away after all: In these pages, Marisa Meltzer looks at the longevity practices of Marina Abramović, who, with her workshops and serums, may well be giving Gwyneth Paltrow a run for her money.
    — Sarah Douglas, ARTnews.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • And, at least in international markets, being crowned with an Academy Award is already giving the film considerable boost.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of give
Verb
  • Restaurant Aure is housed in a historic gunpowder house from 1745.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Slash-resistant straps and lining will keep this bag firmly at your side throughout the day, while a roomy primary compartment will house all your essentials with room to spare.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of house
Verb
  • Try volunteering at a soup kitchen, that should help.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Additionally, people have been volunteering to retire early, and an LGBTQ+ employee resource group has been nixed, sources said.
    — Maria Curi, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of volunteer
Verb
  • True education is not about sheltering students from difficult truths but empowering them with knowledge to make informed judgments.
    — Britt Hogue, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Farmed seaweed also creates an underwater sanctuary for fish and invertebrates to shelter in and raise their young.
    — Carly Kay, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of shelter
Verb
  • The Context Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week entered its fourth year, with the U.S. previously providing billions in military and humanitarian support.
    — Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The upper stage ended up exploding over the Atlantic Ocean, providing a dramatic sky show for people in the Turks and Caicos Islands and nearby areas.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of provide
Verb
  • An ethics violation has been lodged against the former CalRecycle director.
    — Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The indictment charged a total of nine counts, including a main bribery conspiracy count lodged against each of the four defendants.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of lodge

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Cite this Entry

“Bestow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bestow. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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