Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confer are afford, bestow, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can afford take the place of confer?

While the synonyms afford and confer are close in meaning, 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 can bestow be used instead of confer?

The meanings of bestow and confer largely overlap; however, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When might donate be a better fit than confer?

In some situations, the words donate and confer are roughly equivalent. However, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When could give be used to replace confer?

The words give and confer can be used in similar contexts, but 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 is it sensible to use present instead of confer?

While in some cases nearly identical to confer, 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 confer What's next: Once the public comment period ends, the Joint Referral Committee will confer with Houston First on the application before sending the proposal to the City Council. Jay R. Jordan, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025 The more senior columnists—David Ignatius, Eugene Robinson, Karen Tumulty, Dana Milbank, and I—conferred about what to do. Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025 Kennedy then conferred with Trump about intervening. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025 Macron was expected to confer with his EU counterparts about the possibility of using France’s nuclear capability as a deterrent to protect the continent from Russian threats. Raf Casert and Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confer
Verb
  • One of Martin’s first actions was to file motions to dismiss the cases of many of the nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 defendants who were granted clemency by Trump on the day of his inauguration — among them, those charged with assaulting police officers.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Call options, which grant the right to buy an underlying asset at a specific price, will have a Delta between 0 and 1.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Our research used network analysis to map the informal structure of NPD teams - who talks to whom, who shares information, who gets consulted when decisions are made.
    HEC Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • For more intense challenges, such as a marathon, McGregor encourages people to consult with professionals or a coach who can monitor your progress and condition along the way.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Of course, rationality is often in short supply when discussing money and mortality.
    Ashley Case, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The health and long term success of the Connecticut River watershed will be discussed at an all day summit next week in Middletown, officials said.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confer. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on confer

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!