present 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈpre-zᵊnt How to pronounce present (audio)
Definition of presentnext
as in gift
something given to someone without expectation of a return an impressive array of presents for the bride and groom

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

present

2 of 4

noun (2)

ˈpre-zᵊnt How to pronounce present (audio)
as in today
the time currently existing or in progress I cannot talk to you at present, but perhaps in a few minutes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

present

3 of 4

adjective

ˈpre-zᵊnt How to pronounce present (audio)
1
as in current
existing or in progress right now I am very busy at the present moment

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2
as in attending
being within the confines of a specified place all of you are required to be present for every meeting

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present

4 of 4

verb

pri-ˈzent How to pronounce present (audio)
1
as in to offer
to bring before the public in performance or exhibition we will present a performance of Our Town tomorrow evening

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2
as in to introduce
to make (one person) known (to another) socially may I present my niece Sarah?

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3
as in to donate
to make a present of the company presented a gold watch to him on the occasion of his retirement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb present contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of present are afford, bestow, confer, donate, and give. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

In what contexts can afford take the place of present?

The words afford and present are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 might bestow be a better fit than present?

While in some cases nearly identical to present, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When is it sensible to use confer instead of present?

In some situations, the words confer and present are roughly equivalent. However, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

Where would donate be a reasonable alternative to present?

The synonyms donate and present are sometimes interchangeable, but donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When could give be used to replace present?

While the synonyms give and present 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

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 present
Noun
Absolutely nothing better than getting presents on other people's birthdays. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 4 July 2026 Tavia and Clark sent a commemorative present that was elaborately wrapped by Dallas Gift Wrap Creations. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Adjective
As for the soundtrack, the Stones will be present but won’t dominate. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Once in France, the number of fans along the roads — usually present in their thousands — decreased. — ABC News, 6 July 2026
Verb
One sapling was presented by the Walt Disney Hometown Museum to Disneyland as a gift in honor of the park’s 50th anniversary in 2005. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 7 July 2026 The project’s first interpretation is NINE TO SIX, a collaboration between Veramonteforte, Reda and Camera Buyer Italia and was presented at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for present
Recent Examples of Synonyms for present
  1. gift
  2. today
  3. current
  4. available
  5. offer
  6. introduce
  7. donate
  8. presentation
Noun
  • Typically, big-money gifts come after a donor has expressed a desire to support a particular cause or idea or group.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
  • Rather than rooting themselves in any one tradition, Sonenshein and Vahle achieve cohesion through their style — a conscious, effective unity of their culinary gifts.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of gift
Noun
  • Markets unlocked by lower launch costs The cost of reaching orbit has come down dramatically, from roughly $65,000 per kilogram in the Shuttle era to under $3,000 today, and with Starship promising to push it lower still.
    — Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
  • Here’s who is playing in the 2026 men’s World Cup today, July 9, as the quarterfinals begin.
    — Travis Yoesting, Denver Post, 9 July 2026
Definition of today
Adjective
  • The union says it’s already made concessions at the bargaining table but with little offered in return to improve current conditions and wages.
    — Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of current
Adjective
  • Individual and team submissions (teams must have each team member submit their own application and indicate their team) are available on the Official Next New Creator site from July 14 at 10 am KST to August 12 at 2 pm KST (August 11 at 10 pm PST).
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • The company said the chargers will be available 24 hours a day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of available
Verb
  • In April, authorities say investigators with the California’s Contractors State License Board’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team discovered online advertisements offering construction services that did not list a contractor license number.
    — Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • For a few hours, bhajan gatherings offer an escape from those pressures.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of offer
Verb
  • Instead of doubling down on a flawed system, policymakers can make gradual changes by introducing new tax categories in the existing framework and imposing taxes that correspond to the alcoholic content of that category.
    — Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • In its opening match, Cape Verde introduced itself with a draw against mighty Spain.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 July 2026
Definition of introduce
Verb
  • Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
  • Plus, Scott has invested in climate action, donating $90 million to the Forests, People, Climate (FPC) collaborative determined to end tropical deforestation.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Definition of donate
Noun
  • The date was revealed Saturday during a presentation at Essence Festival of Culture, featuring creator, showrunner and exec producer Ben Watkins, star Jaalen Best, and cast members Dana Gourrier, Amin Joseph, Kai Parham, and Michael Ealy.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 July 2026
  • The five-day preliminary hearing will mark the most significant presentation of evidence in the case so far — and the first time that Kirk’s parents and widow will be in the courtroom with defendant Tyler Robinson.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of presentation

Phrases Containing present

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presences
present
presentable
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Cite this Entry

“Present.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/present. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on present

Nglish: Translation of present for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about present

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