bonus

noun

bo·​nus ˈbō-nəs 

: something in addition to what is expected or strictly due: such as

a

: money or an equivalent given in addition to an employee's usual compensation

b

: a premium (as of stock) given by a corporation to a purchaser of its securities, to a promoter, or to an employee

c

: a government payment to war veterans

d

: a sum in excess of salary given to an athlete for signing with a team

Synonyms of bonus

• dividend
• gift
• extra
• contribution
• tip
• perk
• donation
• pension

Examples of bonus in a Sentence

As a bonus for good behavior you can stay up late.

The product has the added bonus of providing extra vitamins.

Staff members were given a bonus for finishing the project on schedule.

The company offered bonuses to entice new workers.

We receive annual bonuses at the end of the year.

Recent Examples on the Web

The French vibes of this skirt would look great with a boatneck top and Rothy’s loafers, which get bonus points for being machine washable. —Annie Blackman, InStyle, 25 May 2026

This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. —Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 25 May 2026

Gardening is another rewarding hobby, according to Road Scholar, with the bonus of fresh vegetables or beautiful flowers. —Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026

Remer took home 7% of the champion’s prize haul of $52,500 — a bonus of $3,675. —Ben Nuckols, Fortune, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, literally, good — more at bounty

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bonus

• bonis
• clonus
• conus
• cronus
• jonas
• lowness
• onus
• slowness
• tonus
• colonus
• coregonus
• dendroctonus

Kids Definition

bonus

noun

bo·​nus ˈbō-nəs 

: something given to somebody (as a worker) in addition to what is usual or owed

Etymology

from Latin bonus "good" — related to bona fide, bonbon, boon entry 2, bounty