award 1 of 2

award

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb award contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of award are accord, concede, grant, and vouchsafe. While all these words mean "to give as a favor or a right," award implies giving what is deserved or merited usually after a careful weighing of pertinent factors.

awarded the company a huge defense contract

When is accord a more appropriate choice than award?

Although the words accord and award have much in common, accord implies giving to another what is due or proper.

accorded all the honors befitting a head of state

When can concede be used instead of award?

While in some cases nearly identical to award, concede implies yielding something reluctantly in response to a rightful or compelling claim.

even her critics concede she can be charming

In what contexts can grant take the place of award?

The meanings of grant and award largely overlap; however, grant implies giving to a claimant or petitioner something that could be withheld.

granted them a new hearing

Where would vouchsafe be a reasonable alternative to award?

The words vouchsafe and award can be used in similar contexts, but vouchsafe implies granting something as a courtesy or an act of gracious condescension.

vouchsafed the secret to only a few chosen disciples

Examples 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 award
Noun
On The Office, what are the awards called that Michael hands out to his employees? Alex Vance, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025 As awards season kicks off, these are the seven actors who most deserve your attention, not to mention a sackful of golden statuettes. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
The pope is the only person Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to during this time in office. Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 11 Jan. 2025 German Bundesliga team Bochum have been awarded a retrospective victory over Union Berlin after their goalkeeper was hit by a cigarette lighter thrown from the crowd. Phil Hay, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for award 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for award
Noun
  • Search is the prize, as should have been pretty clear when Apple went to court to help Google defend its default search spot on a billion iPhones.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • More than 450,000 other Powerball tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $4 to $100,000, the lottery said.
    Don Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • After giving birth to her daughter, River, the new mom grappled with postpartum depression and doubts about her decision began to surface.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025
  • This decision reflects overwhelming scientific evidence that monarch populations have plummeted, primarily due to habitat loss, climate change and widespread pesticide use.
    Sharmeen Morrison, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Establish healthy competition mechanisms through clear objectives and transparency, and design incentive structures that reward breakthrough thinking.
    Ioana Dragomir, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • He was rewarded in December with an eight-year contract extension that runs through the 2032 season.
    Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Austria's Freedom Party leader was granted a mandate on Monday to try to form a new government.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
  • All this grants Bhakti Bai knowledge that no one else has.
    Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Some of her accolades include Three American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and five Grammy nominations.
    Essence, Essence, 16 Jan. 2025
  • These accolades underscore The Dixon Injury Firm's commitment to providing top-tier legal representation and achieving the best possible outcomes for their clients.
    William Jones, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The verdict came more than a year after a grand jury indicted Trump on March 30, 2023, marking the first time a former or sitting president faced criminal charges.
    Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
  • One of the defense's strongest arguments — that a July Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity was grounds for vacating the verdict — was previously shut down by Merchan in December.
    Kyler Alvord, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Ford has a long history of achievements at the Golden Globes, having been nominated for five and being honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2002.
    Liza Esquibias, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Former President Carter to lie in state The late Carter will lie in state at the Capitol this week, as Washington honors the life and legacy of the 39th president.
    Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Targeting Capabilities The most important factor in identifying ad platforms for your business, in my opinion, is a deep analysis of the user base in terms of your ideal customer profile and quality targeting capabilities.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • That is the person’s opinion, but compare that with then-President Donald Trump’s incitement of an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, that led to a loss of life, based on what were proved to be false claims of significant voter fraud.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near award

Cite this Entry

“Award.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/award. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on award

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!