bestow

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bestow contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bestow are afford, confer, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would afford be a good substitute for bestow?

In some situations, the words afford and bestow are roughly equivalent. However, 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 is confer a more appropriate choice than bestow?

While in some cases nearly identical to bestow, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can donate take the place of bestow?

The meanings of donate and bestow largely overlap; however, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use give instead of bestow?

While the synonyms give and bestow are close in meaning, 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 might present be a better fit than bestow?

The synonyms present and bestow are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 bestow These elite medical pros bestow clients with high-impact, low-downtime results. Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025 After decades of obdurately refusing to entertain the idea of bestowing its computers with touch screens, rumor has it that Apple might finally offer this capability. PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025 The pastel colorway, which also includes a warm blue and a mushroom hue bestows a sort of quiet luxury to your chamber. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Sep. 2025 The deal marked the end of her 21-year run as sole owner, but bestowed her with billionaire status. Dave Smith, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bestow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestow
Verb
  • The sign — fixed high on the outside wall of the black and red painted concrete block building — was to be removed before demolition and donated to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/ Museum under the requirements of the demolition contract.
    Mary Spicuzza, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Gleaners from a local anti-hunger group harvested some of the crops to donate to nearby food banks and shelters.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While relocating the U21s and U18s from the main building was a deliberate choice, space has in any case been taken up by open-plan offices to accommodate non-football staff relocated from Old Trafford — a policy instructed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Another feature that’s worth highlighting is the 129 square-foot sleeping loft that can accommodate a bed, small nightstands, floating shelves, and even a houseplant or two.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • How does a century-old industrial company such as Firmenich (renamed DSM-Firmenich following its 2023 merger with Dutch chemical firm DSM) manage to remain globally competitive today, given that a large share of its cost base is in the most expensive country in the world?
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to give 60 days’ notice ahead of mass layoffs.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The number of employees that will be housed at the Speedway Industrial Park building site were not known.
    Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Backlogs out of Hong Kong, which houses the largest cargo airport on earth, are expected to persist through mid-October after Typhoon Ragasa caused widespread flight cancellations across the region and South China.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Tanner and her team are not alone—the community has rallied their support to rebuild their beloved community gardens with hundreds of people volunteering their time to help.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • With a passion to help people, Klie now wants to spend more time volunteering to help the homeless in Columbia.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This majestic fuselage dwarfs the actors, who shelter inside it like mice in a storm drain.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Players and fans had to shelter in place, but no one was injured, officials said.
    Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Numbers provided by Cincinnati Public Schools show that the school district had 4,326 homeless students last year, representing a 77% increase from a decade prior, despite total student enrollment increasing by only 538 students over the same period of time.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Green Hill plans to help restart Smith Springs financially, provide manpower for physical work and could potentially have some of its congregants move to Smith Springs Baptist, officials said.
    Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • One month before the fatal shooting in August, on July 11, gunshots destroyed 11 windows at The Grand; Bullets entered the apartment building and lodged into cabinets and walls, the suit claims.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2025
  • That complaint saw the NCP launching an investigation into Shein; the MPs that lodged the complaint met with Shein and the French NCP in February for mediation.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on bestow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!