bestow
Americanverb (used with object)
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to present as a gift; give; confer (usually followed by on orupon ).
The trophy was bestowed upon the winner.
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Archaic. to put to some use; apply.
He was continually working the mines, expending money and bestowing his time, toil, and skill upon them.
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Archaic.
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to provide quarters for; house; lodge.
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to put; stow; deposit; store.
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verb
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to present (a gift) or confer (an award or honour)
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archaic to apply (energy, resources, etc)
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archaic to house (a person) or store (goods)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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bestowalnoun
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bestowernoun
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bestowmentnoun
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prebestowalnoun
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misbestowverb (used with object)
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prebestowverb (used with object)
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bestowsimple
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bestowssimple
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have bestowedperfect
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has bestowedperfect
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am bestowingprogressive
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are bestowingprogressive
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is bestowingprogressive
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have been bestowingperfect progressive
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has been bestowingperfect progressive
Past
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bestowedsimple
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had bestowedperfect
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was bestowingprogressive
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were bestowingprogressive
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had been bestowingperfect progressive
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
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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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:
We are also a species insufficiently grateful, it seems, for the favors flowers bestow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 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 figure resembles a yakshi - a powerful primordial nature spirit that can bestow both "abundance and fertility, as well as death and disease" - recognisable through her floral headdress, jewellery and full figure.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2025
“I am especially honored to bestow our first- ever Human Service Award to ... Annette Watson!”
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
Supporters think the passage bestows citizenship on virtually any person born in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
In order to truly feel the benefit and gift that this money bestows, you clearly need to make sure it makes a difference elsewhere, too.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 20, 2026
“No,” he added, “it is the office of the president that bestows those far-reaching protections to the office holder.”
From Slate ● Jan. 10, 2025
She bestows Truthsayers to select houses and denies others, including her own.
From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2024
In the meantime, Harry Potter’s well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
The Polish Order of the White Eagle bestowed on Zelensky in 2023 by then President Andrzej Duda can be revoked if he is deemed to have "committed an act making them unworthy" of the honour.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Similarly, the prize for actor was bestowed on both Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, co-stars of Lukas Dhont’s World War I romantic drama “Coward.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
The name “Atatürk,” bestowed by Turkey’s Grand National Assembly in 1934, means “Father of the Turks,” and it is Ms. Hansen’s argument that Mr. Erdogan is committing ideological patricide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Their impeccable hearing and quick thinking were rewarded by the Austrian emperor, who bestowed the pretzel bakers with their own coat of arms featuring two lions holding a massive pretzel.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026
As though something in their family genes had bestowed on them compulsory bumps that appeared randomly on different parts of their bodies.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
The biggest engines are often installed in pairs or quads, bestowing “Miami Vice”-style speed on large vessels packed with creature comforts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
It feels like I’m bestowing a curse on Paul Thomas Anderson’s unrelenting movie, putting it in the pole position this early.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025
The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve bestowing the honour upon the white-headed and yellow-beaked bird of prey.
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2024
It's as if he's bestowing on the people a special gift from the king and they should be grateful to him personally.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2024
He pressed his lips to the pearl handles of his prized revolvers, bestowing each with a mournful kiss.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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.
