Word
Definition
v. to talk with other people to exchange ideas or make a decision. It can also mean to give someone a special honor, right, or power.
v. to consult or discuss something with others in order to reach a decision; alternatively, to grant or bestow a title, degree, or benefit. Often used in formal or academic contexts.
Examples
“The judges need to confer before they announce the winner.”
“The university will confer an honorary doctorate upon the scientist for her lifelong dedication to research.”
“After the board members confer with their legal advisors, they will determine whether the proposed merger complies with current antitrust regulations.”
Examples
simple
“The judges need to confer before they announce the winner.”
contextual
“The university will confer an honorary doctorate upon the scientist for her lifelong dedication to research.”
complex
“After the board members confer with their legal advisors, they will determine whether the proposed merger complies with current antitrust regulations.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “confer” in context.
Verb
01. confer advantage
“Being bilingual can confer a distinct advantage in the international job market.”
verb + noun
02. confer benefit
“The new trade agreement is expected to confer significant benefits on both nations.”
verb + noun
Usage
When meaning 'to discuss', it is intransitive and usually takes the preposition 'with'. When meaning 'to give', it is transitive and often takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
Pitfall
The committee conferred the prize to him
The committee conferred the prize on him
When used to mean 'bestow', the verb takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' rather than 'to'.
Real-World Examples
“Soccer owes much of its rise in these United States to the worldliness it confers.” “It is under precisely these conditions that intelligence confers an additional advantage.” Etymology
From Early Modern English conferre, from Middle French conférer, from Old French conferer, from Latin cōnferō. Compare Dutch confereren, German konferieren, Danish konferere, Swedish konferera. Doublet of collate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/confer
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0