award
Americanverb (used with object)
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awards,
present (3rd person singular)
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awarded,
past participle, past
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awarding
present participle
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to give as due or merited; assign or bestow.
to award prizes.
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to bestow by judicial decree; assign or appoint by deliberate judgment, as in arbitration.
The plaintiff was awarded damages of $100,000.
noun
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awards
plural
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something awarded, as a payment or medal.
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Law.
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a decision after consideration; a judicial sentence.
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the decision of arbitrators on a matter submitted to them.
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verb
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to give (something due), esp as a reward for merit
to award prizes
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law to declare to be entitled, as by decision of a court of law or an arbitrator
noun
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something awarded, such as a prize or medal
an award for bravery
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(in Australia and New Zealand) the amount of an award wage (esp in the phrase above award )
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law
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the decision of an arbitrator
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a grant made by a court of law, esp of damages in a civil action
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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awardabilitynoun
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awardeenoun
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awardernoun
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superawardnoun
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misawardverb (used with object)
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awardableadjective
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unawardableadjective
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unawardedadjective
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well-awardedadjective
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awardableadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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awardsimple
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awardssimple
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have awardedperfect
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has awardedperfect
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am awardingprogressive
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are awardingprogressive
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is awardingprogressive
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have been awardingperfect progressive
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has been awardingperfect progressive
Past
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awardedsimple
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had awardedperfect
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was awardingprogressive
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were awardingprogressive
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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
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Academy Awards, List 1
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"Dr. Seuss" by Jill Foran
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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:
He became embarrassed after he was caught fabricating or embellishing stories about playing college baseball, responding to protest scenes and an award he won in the police academy, according to the motion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
She’ll complain about me needing to find a secretary before rattling off the results, links to Slate articles and a recent award.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
In September 2024, Novo scientist Lotte Bjerre Knudsen won a prestigious award — one that scientists often win before receiving a Nobel Prize — for her pioneering work on GLP-1s.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Varma hasn’t included the potential award of an operations and maintenance contract in Ivory Coast, which he thinks could provide valuation upside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
I make it to the front without tripping, and smile big when they take a picture of me and Mrs. Priest with the award.
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
We’re on the Warner Bros. lot inside an office space because you are deep in the throes of production on Season 3 while navigating the awards circuit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The most recent awards call for contractors to help the agency geolocate individuals labeled as “extremists,” compile reports on individuals and cross-reference information with government databases, contracting documents show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Some request long lists of accolades—research, competitions, awards and independent projects—that colleges can find harder to verify than grades and test scores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Douglas nods in agreement before adding: "We want the shows, we want the numbers, we want the awards, we want the love and we want the success."
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
The school gathered for a final awards assembly.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Liverpool City Council, which awarded the tender to Underbelly to run the event at St George's Hall, said the markets offered a "cost-effective way for traders to showcase and sell their products".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Overall, though, Rheinmetall's order backlog kept growing in the second quarter, surpassing the 80 billion euro mark thanks to 11.4 billion euros in new contracts awarded during the quarter.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Venus was also awarded a wild-card entry for the women’s singles competition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The government awarded a contract to a Virginia-based company, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, without a full bidding process.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
He awarded each boy the Iron Cross for bravery.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Late last year, American stopped awarding frequent-flier miles to basic-economy ticket buyers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 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
"These are grave assertions that directly impugn the claimants' personal integrity, character, and professional reputation", Lim said, adding that this was a factor in the awarding of the damages.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
If VAR had been available, Scottish referee Hugh Dallas could have corrected the missed call, awarding a penalty and giving Frings a red card, expelling him for the final 40 minutes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 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.
