confer

verb

kən-ˈfər How to pronounce confer (audio)
Definition of confernext
1
as in to grant
to give the ownership or benefit of (something) formally or publicly the British monarch continues to confer knighthood on those who are outstanding in their fields of endeavor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to consult
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem my parents are going to confer with a financial adviser about saving for their retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confer are afford, bestow, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

In what contexts can afford take the place of confer?

While the synonyms afford and confer are close in meaning, afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade
a development that affords us some hope

When can bestow be used instead of confer?

The meanings of bestow and confer largely overlap; however, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When might donate be a better fit than confer?

In some situations, the words donate and confer are roughly equivalent. However, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When could give be used to replace confer?

The words give and confer can be used in similar contexts, but give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms
gave her a ride on a pony
give my love to your mother

When is it sensible to use present instead of confer?

While in some cases nearly identical to confer, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confer As the parties conferred on how to respond to the jury, Combs’ three sons and three eldest daughters shuffled into the courtroom. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025 Overall, for the 2024-25 academic year, UCI will confer more than 10,000 degrees. —Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 13 June 2025 The law confers absolute liability on contractors and building owners when a worker is injured on a construction site. —Nick Langworthy, New York Daily News, 3 July 2025 The station representative stepped away, conferred and returned with an answer. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for confer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confer
  1. grant
  2. consult
  3. discuss
Verb
  • In that case, Judge Melissa DuBose of US District Court in Rhode Island granted a preliminary injunction request this month from a coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia to halt the March 27 reorganization plan.
    — Rene Marsh, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
  • Malone, notably, granted McGuirk a proxy to vote on his 887,079 Series B common stock shares (44% of the company’s voting power) last year.
    — Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of grant
Verb
  • The key is consistency, listening to your body even when progress feels slow, and consulting with your clinician.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 July 2025
  • Sanders stopped consulting as a lawyer last year to focus solely on her fashion line and content creation.
    — Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 26 July 2025
Definition of consult
Verb
  • Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro discussed the Jeffrey Epstein files on the July 14 episode of Kelly's YouTube show.
    — Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
  • There’s a lot of humor used as the co-hosts discuss current events and rail against liberal reaction to them.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 July 2025
Definition of discuss

Browse Nearby Words

confederations
confer
conference
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confer. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of confer for Spanish Speakers

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