Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confer are afford, bestow, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can afford take the place of confer?

While the synonyms afford and confer are close in meaning, 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 can bestow be used instead of confer?

The meanings of bestow and confer largely overlap; however, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When might donate be a better fit than confer?

In some situations, the words donate and confer are roughly equivalent. However, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When could give be used to replace confer?

The words give and confer can be used in similar contexts, but 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 is it sensible to use present instead of confer?

While in some cases nearly identical to confer, 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 confer The degrees will be conferred May 9, 2026, Arnn said. John Wisely, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2025 These apps are built for the sole purpose of conferring with people about their mental health, see my coverage at the link here. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 As a result, high-sodium vegetable juices may reduce the benefits conferred by medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 18 Sep. 2025 Opposing the United States, however, may confer less of a domestic benefit in the future. Michelle Gavin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confer
Verb
  • Combs' lawyers had previously filed a motion asking Subramanian to either overturn his criminal conviction on the transportation to engage in prostitution charges, or alternatively, grant him a new trial.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The Wauwatosa Plan Commission granted the development initial zoning approval a month later.
    Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 1986, Black consulted on another script for his Lethal Weapon producer, Joel Silver, and that position ultimately led to his casting as Hawkins in John McTiernan’s Predator (1987).
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The transportation department in September geared up to sign a $320,000 contract with Boise consulting firm Kittelson and Associates for the study, according to Aaron Bauges, the department’s District 3 planning manager.
    Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The design software vendor's stocks climbed 7% after Altman discussed Figma's integration into ChatGPT, and showed how third-party applications could plug in with OpenAI's Apps software development framework.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
  • That particular topic is probably the most controversial topic in the world, but there's still a lot of editorial safeguards in place where people can discuss things.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confer. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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