You're staring at a blank certificate or a draft of a LinkedIn post, and "awarding" just feels... flat. It’s a bit clinical, isn’t it? It sounds like a judge handing down a sentence or a bureaucrat filing paperwork. But when you’re actually celebrating someone—whether it’s a high school senior getting a scholarship or a CEO recognizing a decade of service—the word you choose carries the emotional weight of the entire moment. Finding another word for awarding isn't just a quest for a synonym; it’s about matching the tone of the achievement to the language we use to describe it.
Language is weird. We have these massive dictionaries, yet we often default to the same five or six verbs. Honestly, if I hear one more person talk about "awarding a contract" when they actually mean they’ve "bestowed an honor," I might lose it. There is a specific texture to words like granting, conferring, or presenting that "awarding" simply lacks.
The Nuance of Giving: Why "Awarding" Isn't Always the Best Fit
Context is king. If you’re in a formal academic setting, like a university commencement, you aren't just "awarding" degrees. You are conferring them. That word, confer, implies a transfer of status and authority that dates back centuries. It’s heavy. It’s prestigious. On the flip side, if you’re at a casual office party giving out a "Best Coffee Breath" trophy, "conferring" would be hilarious but totally out of place. There, you’re likely presenting or even just handing out.
The Oxford English Dictionary tracks the evolution of these terms, and it’s fascinating how "award" became the catch-all. Originally, it was more about a judicial decision—literally "giving a ward" or a judgment. Over time, it bled into the world of prizes and accolades. But when we use it for everything, it loses its punch.
Think about the difference between these scenarios:
- A government grants a subsidy.
- A foundation endows a chair.
- A committee bestows an honor.
- A jury accords a win.
Each of these represents a different power dynamic. When you bestow, you are usually in a position of significant stature giving something to someone who has earned it through merit or grace. When you grant, there’s often a request involved—someone applied for that money or that permission.
Formal Synonyms That Actually Carry Weight
When the stakes are high, you need words that sound like they belong in a leather-bound book. Bestowing is one of those words. It’s a bit old-fashioned, sure, but it’s perfect for ceremonies. It suggests that the thing being given is a gift or an honor, not just a paycheck.
Then there’s conferring. You’ll see this most often in law and academia. To "confer" a right or a title means more than just handing it over; it means the person now legally or socially possesses that quality. It changes who they are in the eyes of the world.
👉 See also: Images of Thanksgiving Holiday: What Most People Get Wrong
Granting is the workhorse of the professional world. If you’re looking for another word for awarding in the context of money, research, or legal permissions, this is your go-to. It’s precise. It’s clean. It doesn’t try too hard to be fancy, but it sounds more authoritative than "giving."
What about "Presenting"?
People overlook presenting because it feels basic. Don't. It’s actually the most versatile word in the bunch. It focuses on the act of the ceremony. When you "present an award," you are highlighting the moment of transition. It’s visual. It’s active. It works for the Oscars, and it works for a 5k run in the park.
The Casual Side: When "Awarding" Feels Too Stiff
Sometimes, you need to dial it back. If you’re writing a blog post about a giveaway or a small community event, "awarding" can sound a bit pompous.
Gifting has seen a massive surge in usage lately, though some linguists (the grumpy ones) still hate it as a verb. Honestly, in a lifestyle or social media context, it works. It feels personal.
Distributing is better for when there are a lot of things going out at once. If you’re a teacher and you’ve got thirty certificates, you’re distributing them. It’s efficient.
And then there’s the very simple recognizing. Often, when we say we are "awarding" someone, what we actually mean is that we are recognizing their hard work. Sometimes the verb shouldn't describe the physical act of giving the trophy, but the emotional act of seeing the person's effort.
How to Choose Based on the "Object" of the Award
Let's get practical. The word you choose should be dictated by what is actually being handed over.
✨ Don't miss: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessing Over Maybelline SuperStay Skin Tint
- For Money or Funding: Use grant, allocate, allot, or endow. "The board allocated $50,000 to the project." This sounds much more professional than "The board awarded $50,000."
- For Titles and Degrees: Use confer or invest. To "invest" someone with a title (like a knighthood or a high-ranking office) implies a deep level of ritual.
- For Trophies and Plaques: Use present or hand out. "She presented the MVP trophy."
- For Praise and Intangibles: Use accord or extend. "The critics accorded the film a standing ovation." You wouldn't "award" a standing ovation—that sounds like a transaction. You accord it because it's a collective gesture of respect.
The Subtle Psychology of Word Choice
Ever notice how some words make you feel like you’ve won the lottery, while others feel like you’re just getting what you’re owed? Bestowing feels like a blessing. Allotting feels like math.
When you use another word for awarding, you are signaling to your audience how they should feel. If you use recognizing, you’re focusing on the person’s merit. If you use honoring, you’re focusing on their character.
There’s a real danger in picking a word that’s too big for the occasion, though. If you "confer" a "Employee of the Month" sticker, people might think you're being sarcastic. You have to match the "size" of the word to the "size" of the achievement. It’s a bit of a balancing act.
Common Pitfalls: When Synonyms Go Wrong
Be careful with distributing. It’s very cold. You distribute pamphlets; you don't usually "distribute" high-level honors unless you’re doing it en masse, which makes the honor feel less special.
Also, watch out for assigning. In business, people often swap "awarding a contract" for "assigning a contract." These are not the same thing. Awarding happens at the end of a competitive process. Assigning is just giving someone a task. If you’re a freelancer, you definitely want the contract "awarded" to you, because it implies you beat out the competition.
Real-World Examples of Awarding Language
Take the Nobel Prize. They don't just "give" it. The official language is often "The Nobel Prize... is awarded," but the citations frequently use bestowed or conferred when discussing the legacy of the laureates.
In the military, medals are decorated. You "decorate a soldier for bravery." This is a specific subset of awarding that involves a physical change to their uniform. It’s a powerful distinction. You wouldn't say you "awarded a soldier with a Silver Star" if you want to sound like an expert; you say they were decorated with it.
🔗 Read more: Coach Bag Animal Print: Why These Wild Patterns Actually Work as Neutrals
The "Gift" vs. "Award" Distinction
Legally and fiscally, there’s a big difference. In many jurisdictions, an "award" is taxable or has specific reporting requirements because it’s often tied to performance or a competition. A "gift" is often viewed differently. If you’re writing for a business or legal audience, using "gifting" as a synonym for "awarding" could actually cause a headache for the accounting department. Stick to granting or allocating in those cases.
Actionable Steps for Better Writing
If you want to move beyond "awarding" and actually sound like you know your way around a thesaurus, try this process next time you’re writing:
- Identify the power dynamic. Is the giver way higher up than the receiver? Use bestow. Are they equals or is it a formal process? Use grant or accord.
- Look at the item itself. Is it a physical object? Use present. Is it a concept or a status? Use confer.
- Check the "merit" level. Did the person work incredibly hard for this? Use recognize or honor. Was it a random selection? Use distribute or select.
- Read it out loud. This is the oldest trick in the book for a reason. If "The committee conferred the $20 gift card" sounds ridiculous to your ears, it’s because it is. Change it to "The committee handed out $20 gift cards."
Choosing the right word isn't about being fancy. It’s about being accurate. It’s about making sure the person being celebrated feels the weight of that celebration. By swapping "awarding" for something more targeted—like bestowing, conferring, or recognizing—you turn a dry sentence into a meaningful statement.
Next time you find yourself reaching for the same old verb, stop. Ask yourself what’s actually happening in that moment. Are you giving a prize, or are you validating a career? The answer to that will lead you directly to the perfect word.
Practical Implementation for Professionals
To refine your internal communications or public-facing copy, audit your most recent "recognition" emails. Replace repetitive instances of "awarded" with recognized for effort-based praise and presented for physical gift distributions. This subtle shift improves readability and avoids the "corporate drone" tone that often plagues HR announcements. For high-stakes documents like annual reports, prioritize accorded or vested when discussing shareholder rights or executive titles to maintain a standard of professional gravitas.