present 1 of 4

present

2 of 4

adjective

present

3 of 4

noun (1)

as in today
the time currently existing or in progress I cannot talk to you at present, but perhaps in a few minutes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

present

4 of 4

noun (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb present contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of present are afford, bestow, confer, donate, and give. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

In what contexts can afford take the place of present?

The words afford and present are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 might bestow be a better fit than present?

While in some cases nearly identical to present, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When is it sensible to use confer instead of present?

In some situations, the words confer and present are roughly equivalent. However, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

Where would donate be a reasonable alternative to present?

The synonyms donate and present are sometimes interchangeable, but donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When could give be used to replace present?

While the synonyms give and present 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

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 present
Verb
Fortunately, 2025 presents opportunities for leaders to refine their tech stack and drive meaningful outcomes. Jonathan Nikols, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 In contrast to the binary Gallup question, our surveys presented respondents with different territorial compromises for a ceasefire. Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The attorney spearheading the lawsuit was present at the festival, which makes his effort to rally fans to sign up all the more personal. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025 The case had its first hearing Wednesday in a New York court, though Khalil was not present. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
How Earthquake Forecasting Works At present, the precise timing and location of earthquakes cannot be predicted. Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025 At present, the prototype is undergoing preclinical testing with human patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, in Australia. IEEE Spectrum, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for present
Recent Examples of Synonyms for present
Verb
  • Yet, had Wilson not succumbed to injury in late August of that year, Newcastle would not have offered a club-record £60m, rising to £63m, for Isak.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Partner with other local spots to hide clues, offering small prizes along the way and a grand prize at your location.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead, the Trump administration is attempting to introduce new considerations into the finding such as the cost of regulations.
    Axios, Axios, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The president was introduced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel was also in attendance.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In 2022, Musk's foundation donated $160 million, which was over $200 million less than the law required to make the seed donations tax-deductible.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Anyone wishing to donate to Swiantek’s family can do so at ourcommunityheros.org.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • With the current Concorde Agreement expiring at the end of 2025, discussions to have a new agreement are underway between F1 teams and the Formula One Management (FOM) from 2026.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The data from the Common App report presents a complex picture of the current state of higher education.
    Scott White, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Even the historically bad White Sox can't justify giving Gallo an opportunity to continue hitting.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Glover made double bogey at the 15th, chipped in for eagle at 16, then gave it right back with another double at the infamous 17th hole.
    Justin Ray, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Other Reddit users agreed with the theory and offered their own idea that Gemma may have volunteered her body to Lumon for experimentation.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 21 Mar. 2025
  • These workers were among the 21,000 civilians at the Defense Department who volunteered for the program.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This also isn't the first time that King has been accused of having an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol in the former couple's ongoing custody battle.
    Staff Author, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Her attorney told the outlet plea negotiations are ongoing in her case.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Services available through local or regional adult education programs vary, however all programs provide certain academic programming including digital literacy training, career navigator support.
    Larry Covino, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Ahead of the second installment, Season 1 is also available on Hulu, and the first three episodes on YouTube.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Present.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/present. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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