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Guyper Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

To award Vs. to reward

1."She was awarded a medal for her community service"

"He was rewarded with a bonus for his good sales record"

Can they be used interchangeably?

Thank you
  

Top answer

In some ways they are interchangeable, though they have slightly different connotations. In my mind I think of an award, or being awarded something, as winning it (sometimes for good act or other virtue, or sometimes just as a matter of chance)- whereas when one is rewarded it seems to have more of a meaning of they recieved positive reinforcement for something they did well. The difference is subtle, and both have multiple contexts in which they mean slightly different things.

— Sbolton

  • In some ways they are interchangeable, though they have slightly different connotations.
  • In my mind I think of an award, or being awarded something, as winning it (sometimes for good act or other virtue, or sometimes just as a matter of chance)- whereas when one is rewarded it seems to have more of a meaning of they recieved positive reinforcement for something they did well.
  • The difference is subtle, and both have multiple contexts in which they mean slightly different things.
  • Grammatically, the primary difference is that someone might be " awarded xyz ", whereas they would be " rewarded with xyz ".
  • Although the meanings can be slightly different- in your examples, the two could be switched without being incorrect or changing the meaning, really.
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1 Answers
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In some ways they are interchangeable, though they have slightly different connotations. In my mind I think of an award, or being awarded something, as winning it (sometimes for good act or other virtue, or sometimes just as a matter of chance)- whereas when one is rewarded it seems to have more of a meaning of they recieved positive reinforcement for something they did well. The difference is sub
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