reward

1 of 2

verb

re·​ward ri-ˈwȯrd How to pronounce reward (audio)
rewarded; rewarding; rewards

transitive verb

1
: to give a reward to or for
2
rewardable adjective
rewarder noun

reward

2 of 2

noun

1
: something that is given in return for good or evil done or received or that is offered or given for some service or attainment
the police offered a reward for his capture
2
: a stimulus (such as food) that is administered to an organism and serves to reinforce a desired response

Examples of reward in a Sentence

Verb She rewarded herself by buying a new pair of shoes. the firefighters were rewarded by the city for their heroic actions Noun The contest offered a cash reward to the first person who could breed a blue rose. Hard work brings its own rewards. Members will receive a discount in reward for getting friends or family to join.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Make this recipe for Irish stew for St. Patrick's Day (or any cozy day) and you'll be rewarded with a comforting bowl of tender meat and vegetables. Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024 Howland himself or assistant Donny Daniels or any one of the players would sometimes reward the campers with free pizza or Diddy Riese cookies. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The shock that he was not rewarded with even a nomination may have ultimately worked in the film’s favor in other categories. The New York Times Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Connections may torment its players with little room for error, but Strands rewards wrong guesses, in a way, by filling in a progress bar that gets you to a hint. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 In the end, those who answer all the multiple-choice questions on allyship, bias, and privilege correctly are rewarded with a handy discount voucher. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 They are currently rewarded 6.25 bitcoins, worth about $388,000, for their efforts. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2024 Mind-wandering means the current mental effort is not being sufficiently rewarded– or opportunities to do other, more enjoyable activities are being lost. Matthew Robison, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2024 Colorado’s preference point system rewards applicants who apply to the annual draw and are unsuccessful with a point. Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
A number of supermarkets, like Giant Eagle and Kroger, also operate fuel stations and offer rewards programs for discounts at the pump. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 There is a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in connection with the incident, which happened shortly before midnight Jan. 8 on J Street near 11th Avenue, San Diego police and Crime Stoppers said in a news release. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024 Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 People can report tips anonymously through the local Crime Stoppers hotline, which is offering a reward for information, according to DeLoach. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2024 British tycoon Richard Branson could scoop a massive personal cash windfall as a reward for struggling challenger bank Virgin Money ditching its Virgin branding after a bumper takeover bid. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 11 Mar. 2024 During Ramadan, Imran will teach her young daughter the value of daily prayer by way of a calendar where every date features a pocket with a small reward enclosed. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 That pick originally came via the NFL’s minority hiring incentive, a reward for the departures of Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans general manager) and DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans coach). Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The event, which happens every four years, is when bitcoin miners start to gain only half the reward for minting new bitcoin. Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French regarder, rewarder to look back at, regard, care for, recompense — more at regard entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reward was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near reward

Cite this Entry

“Reward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reward. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reward

1 of 2 verb
re·​ward ri-ˈwȯrd How to pronounce reward (audio)
: to give a reward to or for
rewarder noun

reward

2 of 2 noun
1
: something (as money) given or offered in return for a service (as the return of something lost)
2
: a stimulus (as food) that is given to an organism after a correct or desired way of behaving and that makes the behavior more probable in the future

Medical Definition

reward

1 of 2 transitive verb
re·​ward ri-ˈwȯ(ə)rd How to pronounce reward (audio)
: to give a reward to or for

reward

2 of 2 noun
: a stimulus (as food) that serves to reinforce a desired response

More from Merriam-Webster on reward

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