bestow
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to present as a gift; give; confer (usually followed by on orupon ).
The trophy was bestowed upon the winner.
-
Archaic. to put to some use; apply.
He was continually working the mines, expending money and bestowing his time, toil, and skill upon them.
-
Archaic.
-
to provide quarters for; house; lodge.
-
to put; stow; deposit; store.
-
verb
-
to present (a gift) or confer (an award or honour)
-
archaic to apply (energy, resources, etc)
-
archaic to house (a person) or store (goods)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
bestowernoun
-
misbestowverb (used with object)
-
prebestowalnoun
-
bestowalnoun
-
prebestowverb (used with object)
-
bestowmentnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has bestowedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have bestowedperfect
-
has been bestowingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is bestowingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
have been bestowingperfect progressive
-
are bestowingprogressive
-
am bestowingprogressive 1st person singular
-
bestowssingular 3rd person
-
bestowingparticiple
Past
-
had bestowedperfect
-
had been bestowingperfect progressive
-
were bestowingprogressive plural
-
was bestowingprogressive singular
-
bestowedsimple
-
bestowedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of bestow
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English bestowen; see be-, stow ( def. )
Explanation
When you present an honor or a gift to someone, you bestow it, which is the same as giving it, but often classier and more respectful. Bestow comes from the Middle English stowen, "to place." Placing something really valuable or honoring in the hands of another, or conferring a position of responsibility on them, is to bestow it. For example, "She gave her teacher a ceramic apple she had made, knowing that her whole class would bestow the big honor of Teacher of the Year later that day," or, "The king praised her for working with the poor, and he would later bestow the medal of honor on her in a ceremony."
Vocabulary lists containing bestow
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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!
List 2
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!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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.
We are also a species insufficiently grateful, it seems, for the favors flowers bestow.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
An honorary doctorate is the highest honour UU can bestow and is awarded to inspirational people who have made an outstanding impact in their field.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
In response to outcry over the plan to include Suharto, Prabowo's office had insisted he has the right to bestow the title upon whomever he chooses.
From Barron's • Nov. 10, 2025
So you’ll have to wait until next fall to see the Recording Academy bestow Swift with her eighth nomination for album of the year, as indeed it’s sure to do.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025
The entire Athena cabin lifted me and Annabeth and Tyson onto their shoulders and carried us toward the winners platform, where Chiron was waiting to bestow the laurel wreaths.
From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
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.
