confer

verb

con·​fer kən-ˈfər How to pronounce confer (audio)
conferred; conferring

intransitive verb

: to compare views or take counsel : consult

transitive verb

1
: to bestow from or as if from a position of superiority
conferred an honorary degree on her
knowing how to read was a gift conferred with manhoodMurray Kempton
2
: to give (something, such as a property or characteristic) to someone or something
a reputation for power will confer powerJohn Spanier
conferment noun
conferrable adjective
conferral noun
conferrer noun

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Confer vs. Consult

Confer and consult are very closely related in meaning, and each has senses that are synonymous with the other’s. But as is so often the case with near-synonyms, there are contexts in which one word is preferable to the other.

If you confer with someone, it is entirely possible that you will be seeking advice, but you could also simply be having a discussion (“they conferred privately before making a decision”). If you are consulting someone or something, it is more likely that you are seeking advice (“he consulted his doctor before deciding on a course of treatment”). Consult is unambiguously the correct choice when one is seeking guidance or information from a non-human source; you would consult (not confer with) a dictionary for information on a word.

The sense of confer that is concerned with giving something (as in, “education confers many benefits”) is not shared by consult.

Choose the Right Synonym for confer

give, present, donate, bestow, confer, afford mean to convey to another as a possession.

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

present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

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

Examples of confer in a Sentence

The cameleers … conferred with each other about the safest path across. Greg Child, Mixed Emotions: Mountaineering Writings of Greg Child, 1993
He liked the ease and glitter of the life, and the lustre conferred on him by being a member of this group of rich and conspicuous people. Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, 1905
It was a traditional compliment to be whinged at by an Englishman. It was his way of saying he trusted you, he was conferring upon you the privilege of getting to know the real him. Margaret Atwood, New Yorker, 5 Mar.1990
The lawyer and judge conferred about the ruling. the British monarch continues to confer knighthood on those who are outstanding in their fields of endeavor
Recent Examples on the Web Quickfires will carry cash prizes, and elimination challenges will confer immunity. Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Here's how the vote could shape 2024 elections The number of delegates and states up for grabs on Super Tuesday has the potential to confer what's likely to be an insurmountable edge. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 Roberta Mary Heilbrun was born in Buffalo on April 3, 1940, and conferred the nickname Robie on herself. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 After a long pause, Kossak asked for a moment and walked over to confer with his co-counsel. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2024 In the federal defamation case, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan warned Trump against conferring with his lawyers loudly enough to be heard by the jury. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 This conferred a particular freedom that Tahseen didn’t have: Once or twice a year, their mothers could drive them into the rolling hills west of Ramallah, through the cookie-cutter streets of Tel Aviv and then finally to the azure Mediterranean Sea. Rozina Ali, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Ball pythons were too small to be profitable for the skin trade, but the Zeitgeist’s embrace of surreally hued scales conferred an aura of glamour on collecting and breeding them. Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 There are four status tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond), all of which confer free seat assignments, no change or cancellation fees at least 7 days before departure, and more. Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin conferō, conferre "to bring or take, convey, bestow, bring together, unite," from con- con- + ferō, ferre "to carry, bear" — more at bear entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of confer was circa 1500

Dictionary Entries Near confer

Cite this Entry

“Confer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confer

verb
con·​fer kən-ˈfər How to pronounce confer (audio)
conferred; conferring
1
: to compare views especially in studying a problem
confer with the committee
2
: to give or grant publicly
confer knighthood on him
conferment noun
conferrable adjective
conferral noun
conferrer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on confer

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