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
-
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
-
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:
Each season the do-it-all guard is among the favorites to win the award.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
Vlasenko noted that the award is usually given posthumously.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Hayek Pinault dedicated the award to Dolores Huerta, who attended the gala last year, and called Huerta “a womb for our community.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
He also won the club's player of the year award three seasons in a row.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
So far, though, we could only be excited about the honor of it because we wouldn’t get the actual award till Fire Prevention Day.
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
It followed on from the best player in the world awards in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
My name has been spelled wrong on yearbooks, awards and even my insurance card.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
The Mobo awards music ceremony - which celebrates black music, culture and excellence from the UK and abroad - was launched by King in 1996.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
The two stars have five NFL defensive-player-of-the-year awards and 236½ sacks between them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Candice walked toward a wall filled with awards and plaques.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
It wasn't only the UK's next Drag Race superstar recognised by RuPaul during the finale episode - the Miss Congeniality title is typically awarded to the friendliest and kindest queen.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Shortly after, the administration converted $8.9 billion in previously awarded federal support into a 9.9% stake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Earlier Wednesday, Zelensky awarded the first lady a national honor for her role in brokering a partial ceasefire that allowed the evacuation of civilians from a Russian-occupied town.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Funding came from grants awarded by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
Scruggs was awarded a Purple Heart and sent back to his company.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
The case ended up with a jury awarding Carroll $83.3 million in damages.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
New York City is awarding $5 million to businesses who move daytime deliveries to overnight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
That same month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google's YouTube negligent in the case of a 20-year-old woman who said she became hooked on social media as a child, awarding her $6 million.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
He’s never settled into a particular genre and, perhaps due to that wide-ranging restlessness, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be awarding him an honorary Oscar in November.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
