GIVE Synonyms: 346 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'give' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of give are afford , bestow , confer , donate , and present . While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," give , the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means. // give alms // gave her a ride on a pony // give my love to your mother

Q: When is it sensible to use 'afford' instead of 'give'?

Although the words afford and give have much in common, afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver. // the trees afford shade // a development that affords us some hope

Q: When can 'bestow' be used instead of 'give'?

While the synonyms bestow and give are close in meaning, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver. // bestow unwanted advice

Q: When is 'confer' a more appropriate choice than 'give'?

While in some cases nearly identical to give , confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor). // confer an honorary degree

Q: In what contexts can 'donate' take the place of 'give'?

The synonyms donate and give are sometimes interchangeable, but donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity). // donate a piano to the orphanage

Q: When might 'present' be a better fit than 'give'?

The meanings of present and give largely overlap; however, present carries a note of formality and ceremony. // present an award

give

verb

ˈgiv

Definition of give

as in to donate

to make a present of thanked all the tutors who generously gave their time to help students after school

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to leave

to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another gave my camera to my father to hold while I went swimming

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to offer

to bring before the public in performance or exhibition the author will give a reading from her latest work at 7:00 p.m.

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as in to collapse

to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure they loaded the shopping cart with so much food it gave under all the weight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to pay

to hand over or use up in payment I wouldn't give a nickel for such a run-down car

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as in to express

to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) she gave her opinion on the matter very firmly and unmistakably

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as in to devote

to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention totally gave himself to his studies in the hopes of winning a scholarship for next year

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as in to yield

to produce as revenue a company that consistently gives $30 million in profits to the owner

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as in to provide

to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption gave him my e-mail address

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to run by

to put before another for acceptance or consideration she gave the committee her grant proposal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to transmit

to cause (something) to pass from one to another she gave her cold to me, and now I'm so sick that I can barely get out of bed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb give contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of give are afford, bestow, confer, donate, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms

gave her a ride on a pony

give my love to your mother

When is it sensible to use afford instead of give?

Although the words afford and give have much in common, afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade

a development that affords us some hope

When can bestow be used instead of give?

While the synonyms bestow and give are close in meaning, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When is confer a more appropriate choice than give?

While in some cases nearly identical to give, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can donate take the place of give?

The synonyms donate and give are sometimes interchangeable, but donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When might present be a better fit than give?

The meanings of present and give largely overlap; however, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of give The victory gave the second-place Yankees a four-game winning streak and put them four games behind the first-place Rays. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2026 The song gives the scene new weight; the film gives the song new context, bringing it back into the cultural conversation and introducing it to a new audience. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 In fact, Schroeder specifically gave OOH a nod when discussing the NFL’s move to launch a Thanksgiving Eve game later this fall. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026 For example, in customer support, tickets resolved can give you clear insight into progress, as well as cost-to-serve and quality assurance (QA) scores. — Victor Riparbelli, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for give

Recent Examples of Synonyms for give

Verb

To take advantage of tax benefits, others are donating stock to charities.

— CJ Haddad,Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
In relation to the lawsuits, the cadavers that had been donated had already been used for research and teaching purposes.

— Saleen Martin, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of donate

Verb

Georgia’s public universities can now offer a three-year alternative.

— Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 22 Aug. 2026
For something more laid‑back, Giardino Restaurant sits under century‑old pines on an ancient stone terrace, offering a relaxed but memorable lunch experience.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of offer

Verb

Critics argue such arrangements force consumers to pay for surplus electricity, although Manga said such guarantees were necessary to secure financing for capital-intensive projects.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
For Medicare patients, doctors are paid an additional 6% of the drug’s average price for each infusion.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

In all, the star would devote a baker’s dozen of tunes on the 32-song setlist to this upbeat tropical music gem, which incorporates reggaeton, Latin pop, cumbia, salsa, vallenato and more.

— Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Advisors can use technology to automate routine work, reinforce discipline and enhance consistency while devoting more time to relationships, decision making and portfolio construction.

— Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of devote

Verb

Two autopsies have been conducted, but neither have yielded a definitive public explanation for Nolan’s manner of death.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
This process yields short-chain fatty acids, such as acetate, butyrate, and propionate, which serve as an energy source for cells lining the colon, strengthen the intestinal barrier, regulate inflammation, and influence systemic metabolism.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of yield

Phrases Containing give

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gits

give

give a hang

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“Give.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of give

verb

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Synonyms of give

verb

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Example Sentences

Phrases Containing give

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Articles Related to give

How to Use 'Munificent' and 'Beneficent'

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on give

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

expeditious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

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Popular in Wordplay

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Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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Games & Quizzes