award
Americanverb (used with object)
-
awards,
present (3rd person singular)
-
awarded,
past participle, past
-
awarding
present participle
-
to give as due or merited; assign or bestow.
to award prizes.
-
to bestow by judicial decree; assign or appoint by deliberate judgment, as in arbitration.
The plaintiff was awarded damages of $100,000.
noun
-
awards
plural
-
something awarded, as a payment or medal.
-
Law.
-
a decision after consideration; a judicial sentence.
-
the decision of arbitrators on a matter submitted to them.
-
verb
-
to give (something due), esp as a reward for merit
to award prizes
-
law to declare to be entitled, as by decision of a court of law or an arbitrator
noun
-
something awarded, such as a prize or medal
an award for bravery
-
(in Australia and New Zealand) the amount of an award wage (esp in the phrase above award )
-
law
-
the decision of an arbitrator
-
a grant made by a court of law, esp of damages in a civil action
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
awardabilitynoun
-
awardeenoun
-
awardernoun
-
superawardnoun
-
misawardverb (used with object)
-
awardableadjective
-
unawardableadjective
-
unawardedadjective
-
well-awardedadjective
-
awardableadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
awardsimple
-
awardssimple
-
have awardedperfect
-
has awardedperfect
-
am awardingprogressive
-
are awardingprogressive
-
is awardingprogressive
-
have been awardingperfect progressive
-
has been awardingperfect progressive
Past
-
awardedsimple
-
had awardedperfect
-
was awardingprogressive
-
were awardingprogressive
-
had been awardingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of award
First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English awarden, from Anglo-French awarder; equivalent to a- 4 + ward; (for the noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French, derivative of awarder
Explanation
The noun award refers to a prize of some kind that indicates you’ve done well and achieved an honor. The verb form of award describes giving out one of these honors. So your teacher may award you the Math Genius award. Award can be something given out by a court of law. For example, a judge might give you a monetary award when you win a lawsuit. Award can also be something you get when you're the big winner. The state lottery commission might award you $35 when you hit the lottery. Award comes from the Old English word weardian, meaning “guard” — which is exactly what you should do with that $35.
Vocabulary lists containing award
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academy Awards, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Dr. Seuss" by Jill Foran
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Accepting the award on Tuesday night at London's Roundhouse, Smith reflected on her "crazy" music journey and took a moment to mark the achievements of artists.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Once the budget passed, lawmakers’ staff leaned on Navy officials to award Navatek the money.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Cassius accepted the hero award from the city of Miami Police Department at a ceremony recognizing his bravery on Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Ms. Jeon, who won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for “Secret Sunshine,” takes a quietly affecting and wholly original approach to this well-known character.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
We’re all back in the Hammerschmidt Auditorium for the presentation of the big award.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
EPA’s cancellation letters last year said the awards no longer served program goals or agency priorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
However, she soon went on to cement herself as one of Hollywood’s most talented stars with her role in the HBO teen drama series “Euphoria,” for which she won two Emmy awards.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
The charge will be reduced to 0.14 ringgit a kWh from 0.20 ringgit, improving project economics and potentially bringing forward engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning awards, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Two finalists are from India, which will host this year's Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Mumbai.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
We didn’t make it back in time for the awards ceremony at the pool, but in typical post–swim meet tradition, Coach took the whole team for pizza.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
He deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for exceptional combat performance and the Army Commendation Medal for outstanding leadership.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
European Athletics has restructured the way in which prize money is awarded, ensuring athletes finishing in the top eight in every discipline receive financial recognition.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
This haywire sport has a rich tradition of pay-for-play cupcakes—small time programs awarded a check for three hours of missing tackles against a large-conference behemoth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
The relationship between axon structure and function also became the focus of a National Institute of Mental Health Multiple Principal Investigator grant awarded to Watanabe and Rangamani and highlighted in 2024.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
Seven looked at a glass display case that held several awards the town and various witch organizations had awarded to Valley for her monster-hunting prowess.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
The two sides settled out of court after seven years, following a U.S. jury awarding Apple $539 million in damages for patent infringement of the iPhone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Local restaurant Münchner Stubn sued the city in May after it lost bids to manage larger tents, alleging the process favors families that have run tents for generations by awarding points for tradition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi was pulled down by Bournemouth's Bafode Diakite, with the referee awarding a spot-kick.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
This spring, DRL staff were initially told to begin the process of awarding funds to Lex Libertas, a South African organization founded by a prominent member of the nation’s white Afrikaner movement.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
“All right, pal,” Finny spoke in his cordial, penetrating voice, that reverberant instrument in his chest, “don’t start awarding prizes until you’ve passed the course. The tree is waiting.”
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
