reward

1 of 2

verb

re·​ward ri-ˈwȯrd How to pronounce reward (audio)
rewarded; rewarding; rewards

transitive verb

1
: to give a reward to or for
2
rewardable adjective
rewarder noun

reward

2 of 2

noun

1
: something that is given in return for good or evil done or received or that is offered or given for some service or attainment
the police offered a reward for his capture
2
: a stimulus (such as food) that is administered to an organism and serves to reinforce a desired response

Examples of reward in a Sentence

Verb She rewarded herself by buying a new pair of shoes. the firefighters were rewarded by the city for their heroic actions Noun The contest offered a cash reward to the first person who could breed a blue rose. Hard work brings its own rewards. Members will receive a discount in reward for getting friends or family to join.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Sightings are not guaranteed, but patience and vigilance are often rewarded. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 While elite singles skating often rewards youth – requiring immense stamina to pull off quadruple jumps or triple-triple jump combinations – pairs skating comes with its own hazards. Holly Yan, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 Scientists suggest the golden head feathers were rewarded by natural selection, as females chose the most vibrantly colored hybrids to reproduce with. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 For something a bit less intense that rewards you with a spectacular, and unique, view of Victoria Harbour, walk (or take public transit) up the Red Incense Burner Summit. Condé Nast, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024 Those people who happen to be physically closer to the top decision makers at a company get rewarded with better assignments and eventually promotions. Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Helaine was rewarded a $25,000 scholarship from the very prestigious Davidson Fellows. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 On the other end, Josh Green snuck behind every Warrior and was rewarded with an alley-oop dunk. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Make this recipe for Irish stew for St. Patrick's Day (or any cozy day) and you'll be rewarded with a comforting bowl of tender meat and vegetables. Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024
Noun
Colin Stroud, a 24-year-old in Columbus, Ohio, found his digital side hustle after gaining traction from a LinkedIn post about how to get to Hawaii on credit card reward points. Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024 Swanson: One of my other favorites is a reward poster offering a $100,000 reward for John Wilkes Booth and his fellow conspirators with three photographs of them pasted to the top of the poster. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 During the reward challenge, the Yanu tribe took home their first tribe win of the season, earning themselves a shelter tarp and flint. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Denver police are asking for the public to help find a missing Denver teen, and a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his recovery. Julianna O'Clair, The Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2024 Soccer Commentary: For U.S. women, Gold Cup title is a gritty reward March 11, 2024 The 12-team women’s field is arguably the strongest in history, featuring every previous World Cup and Olympic champion save Norway and seven of the top 10 teams in the FIFA world rankings. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $5,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 Higher taxes deter entrepreneurship and innovation by reducing the financial rewards for taking risks and starting new ventures. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 Your Wallet Best rewards and cash back credit cards | Your Wallet How to maximize your winter travel budget | Your Wallet Smart Investing Slide 1 of 21 What Nvidia's reversal means for investors Is there an AI bubble? Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reward.' 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

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French regarder, rewarder to look back at, regard, care for, recompense — more at regard entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reward was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near reward

Cite this Entry

“Reward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reward. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reward

1 of 2 verb
re·​ward ri-ˈwȯrd How to pronounce reward (audio)
: to give a reward to or for
rewarder noun

reward

2 of 2 noun
1
: something (as money) given or offered in return for a service (as the return of something lost)
2
: a stimulus (as food) that is given to an organism after a correct or desired way of behaving and that makes the behavior more probable in the future

Medical Definition

reward

1 of 2 transitive verb
re·​ward ri-ˈwȯ(ə)rd How to pronounce reward (audio)
: to give a reward to or for

reward

2 of 2 noun
: a stimulus (as food) that serves to reinforce a desired response

More from Merriam-Webster on reward

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