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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to yield

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to provide

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Sending all my love and hopes for a long and happy run to everyone who gave their talent and open hearts to make this happen. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 Compared to Springsteen or Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Horwitz and Haugen were largely unfamiliar to the public, giving White more room to make the role his own. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 Martin has been an outsider to the events of the story, habitually disappearing into the maw of his study, and Janet has given him little thought. — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 Both Doncic and Reaves gave the fans something to be excited about. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for give

Recent Examples of Synonyms for give

Verb

The metal floor donates electrons while the membrane pulls oxygen and moisture from the surrounding air to complete the circuit.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
At the suggestion of local philanthropists Mark and Robin Seigle, members were planning to donate any funding left beyond the above to create an arts scholarship at ECC in memory of Jones and Hamilton Wings.

— Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of donate

Verb

Jim Woolery was a dealmaker at the white-shoe law firm Cravath before leaving to run M&A at JPMorgan.

— Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
If a client’s business looks the same six months after an engagement ends, or if the gains fade the moment the vendor leaves, that was delivery.

— Vikas Verma, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of leave

Verb

By upgrading synthetic skin from a passive sensor into an energy harvester, the Fudan team offers a clever alternative to deadweight batteries.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
Mitchell-Namdar said Pink Aid’s mission is to provide emergency aid assistance to those struggling during treatment, whether that means paying an electric bill, rent, offering wigs or lymphedema sleeves.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of offer

Verb

The Wall Street Journal reports that oil producers are paying $30 million to $40 million for round-trip shots in and out of the Strait of Hormuz.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
In most cases, bed and board have to be paid for, but there are a series of daily spending caps on different elements, such as food and hotel costs.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

Quiet luxury has given way to accessories that make an emotional statement and let clients express their individuality.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
The source expressed optimism that the military money would come through but cautioned that it neither had been secured nor guaranteed.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of express

Verb

Reactions, however, ranged from pure fascination and respect for his 12-year project to critics questioning whether Tomlin, who parted ways with the Steelers in January of this year, had devoted too much time to his virtual city.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Now heading into its 14th edition alongside the Lumière Film Festival, run by Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux, the MIFC remains relatively small but occupies a unique position as a marketplace devoted entirely to classic and heritage film.

— Lise Pedersen, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of devote

Verb

This would enable firms to communicate more effectively about issues, ensuring that any failures yield lessons that could be applied industry-wide.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
These local governments’ efforts to outdo one another in carrying out Beijing’s strategy yielded widespread overcapacity and huge amounts of waste.

— Scott Singer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of yield

Phrases Containing give

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gits

give

give a hang

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Give.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of give

verb

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Synonyms of give

verb

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