bestow

verb

be·​stow bi-ˈstō How to pronounce bestow (audio)
bē-
bestowed; bestowing; bestows
Synonyms of bestownext

transitive verb

1
: to put to use : apply
bestowed his spare time on study
2
: to put in a particular or appropriate place : stow
… bestowed in her car … by the chauffeur.— Frances Towers
… the whole cargo was bestowed …— R. L. Stevenson
3
: to provide with quarters : put up
… bestowed Clotilde in lodgings of her own.— Rayner Heppenstall
4
: to convey as a gift
—usually used with on or upon
The university bestowed an honorary degree upon her.
bestowal
bi-ˈstō-əl How to pronounce bestow (audio)
bē-
noun
bestower
bi-ˈstō(-ə)r How to pronounce bestow (audio)
bē-
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for bestow

give, present, donate, bestow, confer, afford mean to convey to another as a possession.

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

present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

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

Examples of bestow in a Sentence

The university bestowed on her an honorary degree. bestowed a new car on their son for graduation
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The treaty’s terms illustrate the importance bestowed on the shawls. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025 Storm Duck was wearing the orange jersey bestowed on the best player in the previous day’s practice. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2025 Despite decades of effort, dreams of bestowing computers with humanlike cognition and real-world understanding had not materialized. — Steven Levy, Wired News, 1 Aug. 2025 Walton Goggins Is Humbled By The Recognition Of His Work In ‘The White Lotus’ Speaking further about his Emmy nomination for The White Lotus Season 3, Walton Goggins said that he’s humbled by the fact that the role meant so much to his peers to bestow him with the honor. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bestow

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from be- + stowe place — more at stow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bestow was in the 14th century

Rhymes for bestow

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Browse Nearby Words

best (out) of three/five/seven
bestow
bestowment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bestow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestow. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

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Kids Definition

bestow

verb
be·​stow bi-ˈstō How to pronounce bestow (audio)
: to present as a gift
bestowal
-ˈstō-əl How to pronounce bestow (audio)
noun
bestower noun

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Nglish: Translation of bestow for Spanish Speakers

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