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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Returning to school also gave him a new perspective on his career. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 Trump's continuing criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and praise of Putin only give Putin further confidence the United States is not serious about imposing more severe sanctions. — Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026 Leaders who create visibility into possibilities and actionable pathways give teams something far more stable than false certainty or positivity. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The concerto gives her a chance to explore techniques and sounds that audiences may not typically associate with the harp. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for give

Recent Examples of Synonyms for give

Verb

Rooney had pledged to donate royalties from her bestselling novels, which include ‘Intermezzo’ and ‘Normal People,’ to Palestine Action, a group banned as a terrorist organization by the British government.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
At least two other solicitor generals in Georgia, including in Fulton County, have similar programs allowing people facing minor offenses to donate to charitable causes as a form of community service.

— Reed Williams, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of donate

Verb

One flight last week leaving from al-Qassim airport north of Riyadh to Geneva, sold for €94,000 ($105,000), compared with a price of about €60,000 ($67,000) before the closure of the main airport in Riyadh.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
This serving tray combines natural rattan with an elevated floral pattern filled with roses and autumn leaves atop a stainless steel base.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of leave

Verb

The company also offers add-ons like external paddleboard carriers and full-length overland roof racks.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Back before season one started, Dale Washberg came into Hoot Owl Books and offered Lee a Jim Thompson quote to jibe with his preferred job title — truthstorian.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of offer

Verb

Flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall in the city of Limoges, in central France, causing its roof to collapse and nearly destroying the building.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
The students who stepped forward when their teacher collapsed playing basketball in Michigan illustrate what becomes possible when CPR skills are taught before they are needed.

— Meng Yang, Time, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of collapse

Verb

What began as a few purists chasing a vibe became an ingredient an entire industry pays extra for.

— Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
The data showed that principals often earn from $158,000 to $186,000 per year, while assistant principals were generally paid $150,000 to $179,000.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

Orantes also expressed frustration with the handling of her father’s arrest — to which federal authorities had clearly alerted some media, who were brought along for the raid.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
When Seyfried expressed a sudden impulse to play Holmes again, the next phase of the documentary began to take shape.

— Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of express

Verb

The power of people All of this knowledge has accumulated because people value birds and have devoted enormous time and effort to understanding them.

— Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Beyond his commercial success, Appignani devoted his later years to civic engagement, philanthropy and promoting humanistic values.

— Sergio R. Bustos, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of devote

Verb

Bryan echoing the Truckers is very good news, since their own rambunctious salad days eventually yielded some of this century’s best American anthems.

— Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
For a similar reason, Sydney Sweeney’s Novig campaign yielded tens of millions of views and a $2 billion valuation.

— Luka Ladan, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of yield

Phrases Containing give

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gits

give

give a hang

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Style

“Give.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of give

verb

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Synonyms of give

verb

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