conferred

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/kənˈfɝd/
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A past action of formally giving an honor or right, consulting with others, or an officially granted status.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • Newly conferred honors were listed in the program.
  • Membership conferred access to the private archive.
  • Committee members conferred on the final wording.
  • The treaty conferred fishing rights on the coastal communities.
  • The negotiators conferred late into the evening.

Similar words

conversed
met
bestowed
vested
official
granted
consulted
awarded
deliberated
bestowed

Meanings

Formally granted

verb
formal
formal
Formally gave an honor, title, right, power, or quality to someone or something.

Usage

Use conferred when the giving is official or ceremonial, especially with degrees, titles, powers, rights, and honors.

Examples

  • The university conferred an honorary degree on the activist.
  • Parliament conferred new powers on the regulator.
  • The foundation conferred its annual prize upon the poet.
  • The treaty conferred fishing rights on the coastal communities.
  • Membership conferred access to the private archive.

Common mistakes

The doubled r is often lost, and the object usually takes on or upon when a recipient is named.
IncorrectCorrect
The college confered the degree in June. The college conferred the degree in June.
The award was conferred to Maya. The award was conferred on Maya.
The policy conferred him extra authority. The policy conferred extra authority on him.
The committee will conferred the prize tomorrow. The committee will confer the prize tomorrow.

Similar words

bestowed
granted
awarded
presented
accorded
vested

Consulted together

verb
discussion
formal
Discussed a question with others, usually to compare views before a decision.

Usage

Use conferred for a purposeful consultation, not for casual chatting or for presenting information to someone.

Examples

  • The judges conferred before announcing the winner.
  • Doctors conferred with specialists about the diagnosis.
  • The negotiators conferred late into the evening.
  • Committee members conferred on the final wording.
  • She conferred with counsel before signing the agreement.

Common mistakes

The preposition with, about, or on is needed when the sentence names the people or subject discussed.
IncorrectCorrect
The doctors conferred the patient. The doctors conferred about the patient.
She conferred her lawyer before signing. She conferred with her lawyer before signing.
The judges confered for an hour. The judges conferred for an hour.
They conferred the plan to the board. They presented the plan to the board.

Similar words

consulted
deliberated
discussed
talked
met
conversed

Officially granted

adjective
official status
formal
Officially granted and now held as a title, right, degree, privilege, or status.

Usage

Use conferred before nouns such as degree, title, right, or status when the grant has already taken effect.

Examples

  • The conferred degree appeared on his transcript in May.
  • The conferred title carried no salary.
  • Her conferred rights were protected by the charter.
  • The conferred status allowed access to the records.
  • Newly conferred honors were listed in the program.

Common mistakes

The adjective is not a standalone noun, and it should not describe something still awaiting approval.
IncorrectCorrect
He received a conferred. He received a conferred degree.
The confered title was ceremonial. The conferred title was ceremonial.
Her conferred status was still waiting approval. Her pending status was still waiting approval.
The conferred committee met today. The appointed committee met today.

Similar words

granted
awarded
bestowed
vested
official
authorized

Usage

Use conferred for formal grants, past consultations, and official statuses that have already been awarded.

Common mistakes

Confered with one r is misspelled, and conferred to is usually weaker than conferred on or conferred upon for formal grants.

Etymology

From confer, from Latin conferre, meaning to bring together, compare, consult, or bestow, through French into English.

FAQ

What does conferred mean?

Conferred can mean formally granted, discussed in consultation, or officially awarded as a status, right, or degree.

Is conferred a verb or an adjective?

It is both: the past tense and past participle of confer, and an adjective meaning officially granted.

Which preposition follows conferred for awards?

Formal awards, titles, and rights are usually conferred on or conferred upon a person or group.

Can conferred mean discussed?

Yes. Conferred can mean consulted or deliberated together, as in judges who conferred before a decision.

What is the base form of conferred?

The base form is confer, with conferred as both the past tense and past participle.

Is confered correct?

No. The correct spelling doubles the r: conferred.

What is a conferred degree?

A conferred degree is a degree that has been officially awarded and recorded by the institution.

Where does conferred come from?

It comes from confer, ultimately from Latin conferre, meaning to bring together, compare, consult, or bestow.

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