bestow

verb

be·​stow bi-ˈstō How to pronounce bestow (audio)
bē-
bestowed; bestowing; bestows

transitive verb

1
: to put to use : apply
bestowed his spare time on study
2
: to put in a particular or appropriate place : stow
bestowed in her car … by the chauffeur.Frances Towers
… the whole cargo was bestowedR. L. Stevenson
3
: to provide with quarters : put up
bestowed Clotilde in lodgings of her own.Rayner Heppenstall
4
: to convey as a gift
usually used with on or upon
The university bestowed an honorary degree upon her.
bestowal noun
bestower noun
Choose the Right Synonym for bestow

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 bestow in a Sentence

The university bestowed on her an honorary degree. bestowed a new car on their son for graduation
Recent Examples on the Web As the film advances alongside Javier’s forward trajectory toward self awareness, Rotter bestows him the ultimate grace, a slow-burning growth. Holly Jones, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 At this year’s ceremony, Gorman will be presented with the Chairman’s Award, bestowed in recognition of individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 The French also love him and he was bestowed the national honor of Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2012. Marc Schneider, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024 This time that honor gets bestowed upon actor Matthew Modine. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Blessings will be bestowed on those who have been genuine in their souls. Essence, 4 Mar. 2024 Just as important, someone had bestowed this precious gift to the living. Joshua Mezrich, STAT, 2 Mar. 2024 In his 99th year, Oscar Henry, my grandfather, bestowed upon my sons a gift that would outlive him—his last piece of advice. Kwame Christian, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 On a perfect Miami Beach night, under an almost-full moon, the burger crowns were bestowed once again. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024

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

Middle English, from be- + stowe place — more at stow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

bestow

verb
be·​stow bi-ˈstō How to pronounce bestow (audio)
: to present as a gift
bestowal noun
bestower noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bestow

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