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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Much of what Sphere presents will turn up in various iterations across AMC properties – making for a spooky accompaniment to 650 hours of bespoke programs. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025 Without further ado, here are the 30 best presents for every budget, sure to secure your title of BFOTY (Best Friend of the Year). —Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Yet less than a year into the job, conversations about his future are ever-present. —Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 Both types present as hives that occur most days of the week for more than six weeks. —Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
The company has since filed plans to demolish four more structures in Valentine while presenting an early vision for redevelopment that would include building new apartments. —Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2025 Yet how to solve the paradox presented by transition minerals? —Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for present
Recent Examples of Synonyms for present
  1. current
  2. offer
  3. introduce
  4. donate
  5. ongoing
  6. available
  7. give
  8. volunteer
Adjective
  • All tuitions listed reflect the most current tuition information for full-time students on each school's website or information sent directly to The Tennessean by the schools.
    — Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Finally, there’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, whose current role is pivotal as top government spokesperson.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of current
Verb
  • The administration has offered signing bonuses, student loan forgiveness and large salaries to those willing to join ICE.
    — Juan Cordoba, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Check out our latest digital and print subscription offers here.
    — Nashville Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of offer
Verb
  • Yeah Yeahs as they were introduced, setting up a campy whodunit with a 1980s look.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The change seems to set back even further Stockdale’s original vision to introduce new jobs, boost attractions and break open a fortress-like property that has divided downtown communities.
    — Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of introduce
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
Definition of donate
Adjective
  • What’s Next The investigation remains ongoing as of time of writing.
    — Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Mthethwa also faced an ongoing probe that heard allegations by a provincial police commissioner who accused him of attempting to obstruct the prosecution of a former head of South Africa’s Crime Intelligence Services who was being investigated for corruption.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Definition of ongoing
Adjective
  • As a result, a flurry of drinks, vapes, edibles, and smokable buds — many with the potential to get users high — are now widely available on store shelves across Wisconsin.
    — Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • No toilet seat available and the lid to the water tank is missing.
    — Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of available
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
Definition of give
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
Definition of volunteer

Phrases Containing present

Browse Nearby Words

presences
present
presentable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Present.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/present. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on present

Nglish: Translation of present for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about present

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'autumn' or 'fall'?

Using Bullet Points ( • )

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vintage ad illustration of a smiling woman
Brand Name Vocabulary Quiz You’re gonna need some moxie to ace this quiz
See All