reward

[ ri-wawrd ]

noun

1. a sum of money offered for the detection or capture of a criminal, the recovery of lost or stolen property, etc.
2. something given or received in return or recompense for service, merit, hardship, etc.

   Synonyms: bonus, premium, bounty, requital, remuneration, pay, desert

verb (used with object)

1. to recompense or requite (a person or animal) for service, merit, achievement, etc.

   Synonyms: remunerate, pay, compensate

2. to make return for or requite (service, merit, etc.); recompense.

reward

/ rɪˈwɔːd /

noun

1. something given or received in return for a deed or service rendered
2. a sum of money offered, esp for help in finding a criminal or for the return of lost or stolen property
3. profit or return
4. something received in return for good or evil; deserts
5. psychol any pleasant event that follows a response and therefore increases the likelihood of the response recurring in the future

verb

1. tr to give (something) to (someone), esp in gratitude for a service rendered; recompense

Derived Forms

• reˈwardable, adjective
• reˈwarder, noun
• reˈwardless, adjective

Other Words From

• re·warda·ble adjective
• re·warda·ble·ness noun
• re·warda·bly adverb
• re·warder noun
• re·wardless adjective
• misre·ward verb (used with object)
• over·re·ward verb
• super·re·ward verb (used with object) noun
• unre·warda·ble adjective
• unre·warded adjective
• well-re·warded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reward¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (verb) rewarden originally, “to regard,” from Old North French rewarder “to look at,” variant of Old French reguarder; regard

Word History and Origins

Origin of reward¹

C14: from Old Norman French rewarder to regard, from re- + warder to care for, guard, of Germanic origin; see ward

Synonym Study

Reward, prize, recompense imply something given in return for good. A reward is something given or done in return for good (or, more rarely, evil) received; it may refer to something abstract or concrete: a $50 reward; Virtue is its own reward. Prize refers to something concrete offered as a reward of merit, or to be contested for and given to the winner: to win a prize for an essay. A recompense is something given or done, whether as reward or punishment, for acts performed, services rendered, etc.; or it may be something given in compensation for loss or injury suffered, etc.: Renown was his principal recompense for years of hard work.

Example Sentences

Sidhu has also had to fend off scam calls from people pretending to have her dog and demanding the reward money.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m quite cruel to my protagonists. I drag them through the mud, I torture them, they suffer a lot of trauma, but then I reward them at the end.”

From Los Angeles Times

That has led to speculation that Netanyahu will announce cease-fire agreements as Trump takes office, a kind of congratulatory reward.

From Los Angeles Times

The participants universally agreed that raising their families on a farm was a uniquely challenging but rewarding experience, and they wouldn't change that.

From Science Daily

Trump has focused less on answering those questions than on promising financial rewards to current beneficiaries through the aforementioned tax cuts.

From Salon

Related Words

• compensate
• honor
• repay
• take care of