The Meaning of Bestowed: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of bestowed? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word bestowed, including its definition, usage, word origin, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word bestowed mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language as well as Collins and American Heritage, the word bestowed is the past tense of the verb bestow. The word bestow is a transitive verb meaning to put to use, or apply, to put in a particular or appropriate place, to provide with quarters or lodging, or to give as a gift. 

There are many different languages that also use words that mean bestowed. You may notice that some of these translations look and sound similar to one another. These cognates are often formed when two words of different languages share a common origin, such as Latin or Greek. This list of translations for the word bestowed is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Russian: преподносить‎, вручать‎, дари́ть‎
  •  Turkish: sunmak‎
  •  Finnish: lahjoittaa‎, myöntää‎, suoda‎, ojentaa‎
  •  Spanish: acordar‎, conceder‎, conferir‎
  •  Lithuanian: dovanoti‎
  •  Bulgarian: дарявам‎ (darjávam)
  •  Albanian: dhuroj‎
  •  Czech: udělit‎
  •  Greek: απονέμω‎
  •  Georgian: მინიჭება‎, ძღვნა‎, დაჯილდოვება‎, ჩუქება‎, ბოძება‎, მიცემა‎
  •  French: accorder‎, remettre‎, conférer (in some formulations only)
  •  Occitan: acordar‎, conferir‎
  •  Cyrillic: поклонити‎, даровати‎
  •  Norwegian: forære‎, skjenke‎
  •  Dutch: toekennen‎, schenken‎
  •  Portuguese: conceder‎, conferir‎
  •  Latin: dono‎
  •  Mandarin:
  •  German: schenken‎
  •  Roman: pokloniti‎, darovati‎
  •  Italian: donare‎, (gifts) elargire‎, (honours) conferire‎

How can the word bestowed be used in a sentence?

The word bestowed can be used in many different sentences in the English language. Below are many examples of bestowed. Using words in a sentence is a great way to remember their definition. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today. You never know, it might become one of your new favorites! 

Her father bestowed upon her a large book about poetry. It provided many example verses, rhythmic lines, and a wide range of poetry terms. These resources encouraged the young girl’s poetic prowess. She went on a fun quest to find the perfect arrangement of words on the quiet ​summer’s day, and was the winner of the local poetry contest. 

The family bestowed great praise and loving kisses to the first grandchild to have a kindergarten graduation.

The contradictory education system bestowed the blame on the parents and the teachers, rather than the district requirements. 

The manufacturers bestowed a one-time coupon to their frequent customers. 

The regional Association of Village Council Presidents bestowed a handwritten note to the youth leadership committee. It was a small price to pay for their constant support of the Statewide Alaska Federation of Natives. 

The teacher bestowed his tech history knowledge on his students in the form of whimsical sketches.

The famous former student bestowed high praise on the winning team. He encouraged their prosperity and told them their trophies were for safe keeping in a special atmosphere, not showing off. 

The tinsel bestowed a cheap brightness to the Christmas tree that the Lord Lieutenant high honour did not like. 

At the completion of her academic degree from Princeton University, her sister decided to transfer possession of their grandmother’s vintage necklace and bestow it onto her.

All the people in attendance bestowed a standing ovation to the performers, this form of gratuity showed their appreciation for the performance. 

The Lord Lieutenant of each county bestowed the equivalent of $500 in modern-day to each small village. This was a contributing factor to getting them out of poverty. 

What is the origin of the word bestowed?

According to Etymonline, the word bestow has been used since the early 14th century. This is from the Middle English bistowen, meaning to give or confer. This is from the root be, and the root stowen, meaning to place. Related words include bestowing, stow, bestowal, and bestower.

What are synonyms and antonyms for the word bestowed?

There are many different words that can be used in place of the word bestowed. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Synonyms are useful to know if you are trying to avoid repeating yourself or if you are simply looking to expand your vocabulary! This list of synonyms is provided by Thesaurus.

  •  dish out
  •  grant
  •  bequeath
  •  entrust
  •  lavish upon
  •  remit
  •  come through
  •  part with
  •  gift
  •  lavish
  •  hand over
  •  fork over
  •  heap upon
  •  allot
  •  hand down
  •  give
  •  deliver
  •  endow
  •  impart
  •  subsidize
  •  ante up
  •  deed
  •  accord
  •  present
  •  let have
  •  sell
  •  shell out
  •  relinquish
  •  convey
  •  pass down
  •  come across
  •  pass out
  •  provide
  •  favor
  •  confer
  •  allow
  •  turn over
  •  devote
  •  put out
  •  consign
  •  donate
  •  award
  •  transmit
  •  throw in
  •  offer
  •  apportion
  •  kick in
  •  administer
  •  render to
  •  hand out
  •  will
  •  vouchsafe
  •  pony up
  •  tip
  •  dispense
  •  lay upon
  •  make over
  •  furnish
  •  cede
  •  give away
  •  dole out
  •  parcel out
  •  lease
  •  honor with
  •  commit
  •  permit
  •  dispose of

There are also many different words that mean the opposite of the word bestowed. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are also a useful English language grammatical device to make use of if you are trying to expand your vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Thesaurus

  •  catch
  •  abduct
  •  clasp
  •  collar
  •  ensnare
  •  prehend
  •  carve out
  •  accept
  •  strike
  •  secure
  •  get
  •  obtain
  •  carry off
  •  get hold of
  •  overtake
  •  clutch
  •  collect
  •  gather up
  •  take hold of
  •  capture
  •  earn
  •  snatch
  •  seize
  •  attain
  •  take
  •  grip
  •  win
  •  take in
  •  hold
  •  lay hold of
  •  grab
  •  reap
  •  pick up
  •  acquire
  •  pull in
  •  haul in
  •  reach
  •  receive
  •  handle
  •  grasp
  •  arrest
  •  snag
  •  gain possession
  •  entrap
  •  have

Overall, the word bestowed is the past tense of the verb bestow. There are many definitions of bestow, but usually, it means to give something as a gift. 

Sources:

  1. BESTOW Synonyms: 29 Synonyms & Antonyms for BESTOW | Thesaurus 
  2. TAKE Synonyms: 739 Synonyms & Antonyms for TAKE | Thesaurus 
  3. bestow | Origin and meaning of bestow by Online Etymology Dictionary 
  4. bestow: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  5. Bestow | Definition of Bestow | Merriam-Webster