bonus
Americannoun
-
bonuses
plural
-
something given or paid over and above what is due.
- Synonyms:
- gift, honorarium, reward
-
a sum of money granted or given to an employee, a returned soldier, etc., in addition to regular pay, usually in appreciation for work done, length of service, accumulated favors, etc.
-
something free, as an extra dividend, given by a corporation to a purchaser of its securities.
-
a premium paid for a loan, contract, etc.
-
something extra or additional given freely.
Every purchaser of a pound of coffee received a box of cookies as a bonus.
noun
-
something given, paid, or received above what is due or expected
a Christmas bonus for all employees
-
an extra dividend allotted to shareholders out of profits
-
insurance a dividend, esp a percentage of net profits, distributed to policyholders either annually or when the policy matures
-
a slang word for a bribe
Synonym Usage
Bonus, bounty, premium refer to something extra beyond a stipulated payment. A bonus is a gift to reward performance, paid either by a private employer or by a government: a bonus based on salary; a soldiers' bonus. A bounty is a public aid or reward offered to stimulate interest in a specific purpose or undertaking and to encourage performance: a bounty for killing wolves. A premium is usually something additional given as an inducement to buy, produce, or the like: a premium received with a magazine subscription. See also present 2.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bonus
1765–75; < Latin: good
Explanation
A bonus is something extra, a benefit beyond what is expected. If you get a bonus at work, it could be extra money or another type of reward for a job well done. A bonus is usually extra financial compensation that is above and beyond an employee's normal base salary or hourly wage. Some other types of employee bonuses are stock options, gift cards, or extra paid time off. But a bonus doesn't have to be related to work. It can be any extra benefit — like a rebate from an insurance company for making no claims in a year. Or it can be something as simple as a warm smile from your favorite teacher as she returns your essay with an A+ on the top.
Vocabulary lists containing bonus
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
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!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
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!
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Middle School
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.
See Examples For:
The pay packages also typically include car allowances and bonus opportunities, she said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Paramount released details of Kreiz’s contract on Thursday in a regulatory filing, saying he would receive a $5-million annual salary and an annual target bonus of $4.9 million.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
In the Amicus bonus episode, Dahlia and Madiba K. Dennie of Balls & Strikes unpack more lawless behavior by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and how it can directly be traced to the U.S.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
Early last year, Goldman’s board announced it was giving Waldron an $80 million retention bonus after learning he was in talks with Apollo Global Management and other investment firms, the Journal reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
It appeared that I’d received a bonus for being the first avatar to obtain the Copper Key.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
One job ad in the Moscow area offers salaries starting at 240,000 rubles a month, equivalent to nearly $3,000, plus signing and performance bonuses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
The new contract will also include a sharp pay increase from his current salary of £10m per year plus an additional £5m in bonuses.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
The unit count could still grow because the state grants density bonuses to developers who include enough affordable units to meet certain thresholds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Over time, bonuses and raises add up, and the trick is to avoid lifestyle creep as your disposable income increases, Grant said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
People on Wall Street had long ago learned that their bonuses were the last thing they should talk about with people off Wall Street.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
