Meaning & use
bestow authority on someone
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
To officially give someone the power or right to make decisions or give orders.
Grammar: Use 'bestow something on someone', not 'bestow someone something'.
Patterns
- bestow authority on someone
- bestow something on someone
The new law bestows authority on local councils to manage their own budgets.
The queen bestowed authority on her trusted advisor to act in her name.
In many companies, the board bestows authority on the CEO to hire and fire staff.
Common combinations
- bestow authority on
- The constitution bestows authority on the president to command the armed forces.
- bestow a title on
- The king bestowed a knighthood on the retired general.
- bestow an honour on
- The university bestowed an honorary degree on the scientist.
- bestow power on
- The treaty bestows power on an international court to prosecute war crimes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grant
- More general; you can grant permission, time, or money, not only authority.
- confer
- Very formal and often used with 'on' or 'upon'; common with rights and powers.
- delegate
- Focuses on passing your own authority to someone else, often temporarily.
Opposites
Word family
- bestowal noun
- The act of giving something important to someone.
Commonly confused: bestow authority on someone or confer?
bestow authority on someone vs confer
'Confer' can also mean to discuss with others, but 'bestow' never has that meaning.
Practice
The king decided to bestow the title of duke ______ his most loyal soldier.
Choose one answer.
The fixed pattern is 'bestow something on someone'. 'To' is tempting because we say 'give something to someone', but 'bestow' takes 'on'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bestow authority on someone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.