award
Americanverb (used with object)
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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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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
- awardability noun
- awardable adverb
- awardee noun
- awarder noun
- misaward verb (used with object)
- superaward noun
- unawardable adjective
- unawarded adjective
- well-awarded adjective
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
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.
When it premiered at last year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, “Fantasy Life” garnered a special jury prize for Peet’s performance and an audience award.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Arbitrators declined to award any relief and found that Overdeck’s and Siegel’s “over-the-top efforts to assert claims against each other” hurt their credibility.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The iPALM work was partly supported by an award from the Advanced Imaging Center at Janelia.
From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026
Through the Discretionary Assistance Fund, the maximum award for heating oil has increased from £500 to £750.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
I wanted to roll my eyes again, but Matthew was looking eagerly at me as if about to award me some great prize.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
