bestowed

American  

[bih-stohd] / bɪˈstoʊd /

adjective

1. presented as a gift or privilege; given or conferred.

   As the official addressed them, some members of the audience shouted with joy over their newly bestowed citizenship.

2. Archaic. applied; put to some use.

   If I regarded the present discussion concerning baptism as only about mere mode or form, I should think my time and labor poorly bestowed.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of bestow.

Other Word Forms

• unbestowed adjective
• well-bestowed adjective

Etymology

Origin of bestowed

bestow ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The couple will still be on a high after all the festivities and luxuriating in the afterglow of the love — and cash — bestowed upon them.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

The accolade has previously been bestowed upon politicians and celebrities including Sir Winston Churchill and Dame Judi Dench.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

In the run-up to the Academy Awards, Madigan was not the overarching favorite, but wins at the Critics Choice Awards and the Actor Awards bestowed by the Screen Actors Guild snowballed into Oscars success.

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

The Kemalists initially bestowed upon Abdulmejid the largely symbolic title of caliph after they dispossessed his cousin of ruling power in 1922.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Her first resort was a black crepe de chine dress which, according to the dressing table mirror, bestowed by means of clever cutting a certain severity of form.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan