The give synonym that fits best depends on what is changing hands. Objects get handed or passed, money gets donated, help gets provided or offered, and prizes get granted or awarded.
Give stretches far beyond objects, so it also covers talks (give a speech), feelings (give hope) and even physical things that bend (the shelf gave way). Each of those senses gets its own replacements below, along with the forms people ask about most: gives, giving and given.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
provide, offer, hand, donate, grantPart of speech
Verb (given is also an adjective and preposition)Most formal
bestow, furnish, conferMost casual
hand over, chip in, tossAntonyms
take, receive, withholdWatch out
Provide needs with or for: provide staff with laptops, not provide staff laptops.Word forms covered
gives, gave, given, giving
Give synonym by what you are giving
| What is given | Verbs that fit | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| An object, by hand | hand, pass, hand over | Could you pass me the salt? |
| Money to a cause | donate, contribute, chip in | We donated fifty dollars to the shelter. |
| Help or a service | provide, offer, supply | The hotel provides towels. |
| A prize or right | award, grant, confer | The panel awarded her first place. |
| A talk or show | deliver, present, put on | He delivered the opening speech. |
| Time or energy | devote, dedicate, spare | Can you spare ten minutes? |
Hand to bestow: the formality ladder
The chip strip runs casual to formal. Hand and pass are physical and everyday. Provide is the standard business word. Present adds ceremony, as at an awards night. Bestow is formal and a little grand: kings bestow titles, and a city might bestow its highest honor.
Texting a pal that you will bestow a sandwich sounds like a joke. In a speech honoring a volunteer, hand would sound flat.
Gives, giving and given
Gives synonym: provides, offers, supplies, grants. The report gives three reasons becomes the report offers three reasons.
Giving synonym: as a verb, providing or handing out. As an adjective about a person, generous, kind, charitable, selfless: a giving friend is a generous one.
Another word for given: as an adjective, specific, particular, set or stated (on any given day, at a set time). As a link word, given or given that means since, considering or in view of: in view of the rain, we moved inside.
Swaps that sharpen a sentence
- Give feedback becomes offer feedback or share feedback.
- Give an example becomes provide an example.
- The trees give shade becomes the trees cast shade.
- Give a reason becomes state a reason.
- Give a party becomes host a party or throw a party (casual).
- Give permission becomes grant permission.
- The floor gave becomes the floor collapsed or buckled.
A work email: "I will give you the file and give you an update on Monday." Two verbs fix the repeat: "I will send you the file and share an update on Monday."
Grammar traps with give swaps
Give takes two objects easily: give her the key. Several synonyms do not. You provide someone with something, you donate something to someone, and you supply something to or someone with it. You cannot donate a charity money; you donate money to a charity.
Offer only means the thing is available. If the person has already received it, offer is the wrong swap.
The opposite side: take and keep
The opposite of give is usually take or receive, depending on whose side you describe. When someone chooses not to give, use withhold, keep, refuse or hold back.
- The bank withheld the payment until Friday.
- She received three job offers.
For more doing words, browse the action verbs section or the share synonyms page.
Frequently asked questions
Give feels plain in a formal letter. What fits better?
Provide is the safe formal choice. Bestow, confer and furnish are more formal still and suit honors, titles and official documents.
What is another word for given in a sentence like given the facts?
Considering, in view of and since all work. Considering the facts, we agreed to wait.
Can I use provide instead of give?
Yes for services, help and information. Remember the pattern: provide someone with something.
What is a synonym for giving as a personality trait?
Generous, kind, selfless and charitable. Openhanded is a slightly old-fashioned option.
Which verbs work as antonyms of give?
Take and receive are the main antonyms. Withhold is the formal word for choosing not to give.
What word can replace give in give a presentation?
Deliver or make: deliver a presentation sounds polished, make a presentation sounds neutral.