BESTOW Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

bestow

verb

bi-ˈstō

Definition of bestow next

as in to donate

to make a present of bestowed a new car on their son for graduation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

eject
evict

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

Examples 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 After creating a fragrance inspired by her daughter, Courteney Cox wants to bestow the same honor on another important person in her life. —

Erin Clements, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024 For decades, the Sackler family bestowed tens of millions of dollars on hallowed universities and museums in the United States, the U.K., Europe, and Asia. —

Mary Holland, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2024 While taking a stop in the Criterion Closet, Holland took a few moments to honor the gifts Jones bestowed upon him and others. —

Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 28 Nov. 2024 Shaking up its consolidated format, the talent search competition is bestowing an initial reward on the finalists ahead of the award ceremony taking place IRL on March 20 in Trieste, Italy, the city off of fashion’s radar that has been home to ITS for the past 22 years. —

Martino Carrera, WWD, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bestow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestow

Verb

According to the company, a majority of Fortune 500 companies use OpenAI's products and its API. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is among the tech leaders planning to donate $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund, a spokesperson confirmed earlier this month.

Kate Gibson, CBS News, 27 Dec. 2024
The theme: 2024 in movies Shouts & Murmurs: The ideal New Year’s Eve party for people who want to go out but also stay in P.S. Canadians, Australians, and the British traditionally celebrate Boxing Day on December 26th, by boxing up goods to donate to the less fortunate.

Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2024