award

A prize or special honour given to someone for doing something well.

• She won an award.
• The school gives awards for excellent work.
• Who received the award for best actor?

How to use it: an award for something (She received an award for her research.)

Similar words: prize, honour, trophy

Common phrases: win an award, receive an award, annual award, achievement award

Money that a court says someone must receive after winning a legal case.

• The court increased her award.
• He received a large award after the accident.
• The company appealed against the damages award.

How to use it: an award of an amount (The court approved an award of ten thousand pounds.)

Similar words: compensation, damages

Common phrases: damages award, compensation award, award of damages

To officially give someone a prize or honour because they have done something well.

• They awarded him a medal.
• The school awards scholarships to its best students.
• She was awarded a prize for her short story.

How to use it: award someone something (The judges awarded her first prize.); award something to someone (They awarded the medal to a young swimmer.)

Similar words: give, present, confer

Common phrases: award a prize, award someone something, award a medal

To officially decide that someone should receive money, a contract, or another benefit.

• The court awarded her damages.
• The city awarded the contract to our company.
• He was awarded fifty thousand pounds in compensation.

How to use it: award someone something (The judge awarded him compensation.); award something to someone (The council awarded the contract to a local company.)

Similar words: grant, allocate

Common phrases: award a contract, award someone damages, award compensation, award damages

To give points for a correct answer or good work in a test.

• Award one point for each correct answer.
• The teacher awarded her full marks.
• No marks were awarded for the final question.

How to use it: award marks/points for something (The teacher awarded two marks for the correct method.)

Similar words: give, assign

Opposites: deduct

Common phrases: award marks, award full marks, award someone points