confer
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to bestow upon as a gift, favor, honor, etc..
to confer a degree on a graduate.
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Obsolete. to compare.
verb
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(tr; foll by on or upon) to grant or bestow (an honour, gift, etc)
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(intr) to hold or take part in a conference or consult together
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(tr) an obsolete word for compare
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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confermentnoun
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conferrernoun
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reconferverb
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preconferverb (used without object)
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conferrableadjective
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nonconferrableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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confersimple
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conferssimple
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have conferredperfect
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has conferredperfect
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am conferringprogressive
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are conferringprogressive
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is conferringprogressive
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have been conferringperfect progressive
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has been conferringperfect progressive
Past
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conferredsimple
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had conferredperfect
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was conferringprogressive
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were conferringprogressive
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had been conferringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of confer
First recorded in 1400–50 for earlier sense “to summon”; 1520–30 for current senses; late Middle English conferen, from Latin conferre “to bring together, compare, consult with,” equivalent to con- “with, together, completely” ( see con-) + ferre “to carry, bear” ( see bear 1)
Explanation
If you gab, chat, and talk it up with someone, you have conversation, but if you're looking for input from each other as you talk, you confer, or consult, together. They had a family meeting to confer about a schedule for sharing the new laptop. Many uses of the verb confer involve consulting with another person or as a group. Confer has a second use meaning "bestow," which means to award or hand over something. You can confer a medal on a winner or hero, or you can confer status through a promotion or assignment. Each year the teacher would confer the special honor of summer hamster-sitter on one responsible student.
Vocabulary lists containing confer
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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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:
The consequence is to confer substantially greater discretion on the executive.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
Answering questions, they confer in a huddle before appointing a spokesperson.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that a child attached to a parent’s immigration case does not lose the claim upon turning 18, but said that a pending asylum application doesn’t confer legal status.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Asked by a Chinese senior colonel about how the U.S. would implement the consensus, Hegseth said the Pentagon would maximize the opportunities to confer with Beijing on issues including maritime or aerial actions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
This was a command on which he tried to confer urgent masculine authority.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
At the heart of the case is the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which confers citizenship on anyone “born … in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Getting close to the action at such live events confers status, said Jaclyn Sienna India, founder of the concierge agency Sienna Charles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Consequently, the clause confers on Congress especially broad authority over state electoral systems and makes judicial second-guessing of legislation designed to ensure equal representation for all particularly improper.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
And while it confers some key benefits — particularly a 2% reward on Costco purchases, delivered annually in the form of a store certificate — it isn’t necessarily a VIP-type program.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026
“All right, everybody, let’s open our books, because science confers power on anyone who takes the trouble to learn it.”
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
He and Flores sat quietly, wearing headphones for translation while their attorneys conferred with the judge.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Furthermore, she wrote, Puig went into the bathroom with defense lawyers and possibly conferred about the case.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
Our founders didn’t believe that power should rest with one person, and that however much was conferred on the president, it was temporary.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026
And interviewing a sitting president has long conferred prestige, which might well feel paramount amid shrinking audiences and newsroom layoffs.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2026
Leon conferred with the doctor, leaning toward him to murmur a manly summary of events.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Other newfangled ways of accessing private markets have also crept onto investors’ radar in recent years, including digital stock tokens designed to mirror a company’s share-price performance without conferring actual ownership rights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
"After conferring with the league office, because Lamar didn't take starter reps in practice, we updated our report to reflect his practice participation," the Ravens said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2025
After conferring with colleagues, the agent walked Minguela back toward his delivery van.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2025
This week, Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn revoked a royal command he had issued in June conferring higher titles to 81 monks.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2025
Bryant called back a day later after conferring with Outside's publisher.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
