Meaning & use
material rewards
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Benefits you can touch or measure, such as money, gifts, or possessions, that you get for doing something.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; it takes a plural verb: 'Material rewards are important to some people.'
Patterns
- material rewards for something
- material rewards of something
- offer material rewards
The job offers material rewards like a company car and a yearly bonus.
For many volunteers, the material rewards are less important than helping others.
She wasn't interested in the material rewards of fame; she just loved acting.
Common combinations
- material rewards of success
- The material rewards of success, such as a big house, didn't make him happy.
- seek material rewards
- Some people seek material rewards above all else.
- tangible material rewards
- The company gives tangible material rewards for good performance.
- material rewards and benefits
- The contract lists all the material rewards and benefits you can expect.
Synonyms and how they differ
- financial rewards
- Focuses only on money, while material rewards can include other physical things like cars or jewelry.
- perks
- Informal and often refers to extra advantages of a job, not rewards for effort in general.
Opposites
Commonly confused: material rewards or material reward?
material rewards vs material reward
The singular form refers to one single benefit; the plural 'material rewards' is used for several or for the idea in general.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'material rewards' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 uses the plural correctly with 'many' and refers to physical benefits (a medal). Option 1 uses the singular incorrectly because it talks about an emotional benefit, not a physical one. Option 2 is wrong because 'priceless' suggests non-material value. Option 3 has a grammar error: 'a' with plural 'rewards'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “material rewards”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.