Meaning & use
award
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To give a prize, payment or honor officially to someone because of what they have done.
Grammar: Takes an object, and can take two: award her the prize or award the prize to her.
Patterns
- award someone something
- award something to someone
The committee awarded her first prize for the short film.
The university awarded him a scholarship covering all fees.
The judge awarded the family two million dollars in damages.
nouncountable
A prize, trophy or certificate given to someone who has done something outstanding.
Grammar: Often with for or of: an award for bravery.
Patterns
- an award for something
- win an award
- receive an award
The documentary won an award at the film festival.
She received an award for teaching excellence.
The bakery proudly displays its latest award in the window.
nouncountablelegal
A sum of money or other decision that a judge or official body orders to be given.
Grammar: Used in legal and business contexts: a pay award.
Patterns
- an award of damages
- a pay award
The court's award of damages came to ten thousand dollars.
Nurses accepted the new pay award.
The arbitrator's award settled the dispute.
Word forms
| third person singular | awards |
|---|---|
| past tense | awarded |
| past participle | awarded |
| -ing form | awarding |
| plural | awards |
Common combinations
- win an award
- The film won an award for best director.
- present an award
- A former champion presented the award to the winner.
- award a contract
- The city awarded the contract to a local builder.
- award damages
- The court awarded damages to the injured worker.
- an award ceremony
- They attended the award ceremony in their best clothes.
- a lifetime achievement award
- The actor received a lifetime achievement award.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grant
- Grant means to give or allow something formally, and is often used for rights and money, while award is linked to merit or a contest.
- bestow
- Bestow is more formal and ceremonial, and suggests giving an honor out of generosity.
- prize
- Prize usually refers to something won in competition, while an award can be given for lifetime service or merit.
- honor
- Honor describes the recognition itself, while award names the object or sum that carries it.
Opposites
Word family
- awardee noun
- a person who receives an award
- award-winning adjective
- having won a prize
- reward noun
- something given in return for effort or help
Commonly confused: award or reward? award or aware?
award vs reward
A reward is given in return for a good deed or for help, such as finding a lost pet, while an award is an official recognition of achievement.
award vs aware
Aware means knowing something, and is a different word that only looks similar on the page.
Practice
The judges decided to ______ the grand prize to the youngest competitor.
Choose one answer.
Award something to someone is the standard pattern for giving an official prize. Reward needs a different structure, such as reward someone for something, so it does not fit this sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “award”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.