as in gift
something given to someone without expectation of a return
the company's annual Yuletide bestowals include a holiday party and substantial bonuses
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Recent Examples of bestowal
The bestowal of titles is a centuries-old practice in the royal family.
—
Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
That list had some of the feeling of the bestowal of the King’s birthday honors, except that nearly everyone on it had been charged with a federal crime.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals.
—David C. Kennedy, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Sep. 2025
If George becomes heir to the throne before finishing school, William may delay any bestowal of the Prince of Wales title.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
That list had some of the feeling of the bestowal of the King’s birthday honors, except that nearly everyone on it had been charged with a federal crime.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals.
—David C. Kennedy, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Sep. 2025
If George becomes heir to the throne before finishing school, William may delay any bestowal of the Prince of Wales title.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestowal
Noun
-
The oversized gift was presented on April 28 in Washington, DC, during King Charles III and Queen Camilla's four‑day state visit to the United States.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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His gift is an uncanny ability to solve crimes that leave the LAPD baffled, armed only with the savvy and dry humor reminiscent of the gumshoe detectives of the noir genre.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Birchall testified about the specific donations Musk made to OpenAI, as well as his knowledge about Musk’s multibillion-dollar bid to acquire OpenAI last year.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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But plans to extend his floral donations for next year have bitten the dust after local authorities intervened and blocked the move.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Use this cosmic energy to update your physical presentation, whether that be your hair, nails, wardrobe, or beyond.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There was a presentation of colors by the United States Armed Forces Color Guard.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bezos’s wedding last year was big enough that some people expected to see some royalty present, particularly considering a lot of big celebrities attended, including the Kardashians, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Barack Obama.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
29 Apr. 2026
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But for all its retro-gazing reference points, Orange is ultimately a portrait of Presley’s present.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bestowal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bestowal. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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