grant

G2R1A1N1T1
General South African, UK, Southern England/ɡɹɑːnt/Australia, New Zealand, South/ɡɹɐːnt/Canada, US/ɡɹænt/Northern England/ɡɹant/

verb

To give (permission or wish).

“The genie granted him three wishes”

Opposite
Very commonScrabble 6

Meanings

grant1

verbgrant (third-person singular simple present grants, present participle granting, simple past and past participle granted)

present singular third person grants · participle present granting · participle past granted · past granted · first person past singular granted · archaic present second person singular grantest · past second person singular granted · archaic past second person singular grantedst · present singular third person grants · archaic present singular third person granteth · past singular third person granted · past plural granted · past subjunctive granted · participle present granting · participle past granted · alternative obsolete graunt

  1. ditransitiveTo give (permission or wish).

    The genie granted him three wishes

    1 more example

    He was granted permission to attend the meeting.

    Antonyms: deny

  2. ditransitiveTo give (bestow upon or confer, particularly in answer to prayer or request).

    c. 1930, Serenity Prayer God, grant me the serenity[…]

    2 more examples

    He Suſpends on theſe Reaſons, that Thomas Rue had granted a general Diſcharge to Adam Muſhet, who was his Conjunct, and correus debendi, after the alleadged Service, which Diſcharged Muſhet, and conſequently Houstoun his Partner.

    1668 July 3, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 548

    In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. […]

    2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19
  3. transitiveTo agree with (someone) on (something); to accept (something) for the sake of argument; to admit to (someone) that (something) is true.

    The universe exists, said the father: somebody must have made it. If that somebody exists, said I, somebody must have made him. I grant that for the sake of argument, said the Oratorian.

    a. 1921, George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah, Preface ("The Infidel Half Century"), section "In Quest of the First Cause"
    2 more examples

    "They are tall, certainly," said Sir Chetwynd... "I grant you they are tall. That is, the majority of them are. But I have seen short men among them. The Khedive is not taller than I am. And the Egyptian face is very deceptive. The features are often fine,—occasionally classic,—but intelligent expression is totally lacking."

    1897, Marie Corelli, “Chapter I”, in Ziska: The Problem of a Wicked Soul, New York: Stone & Kimball, pages 23–24

    D: Judge, Ms. Harlan is on trial for alleged crimes committed in Manhattan. Not something that occurred four months earlier in another state. / J: Ms. Harlan's defense is that she acted under duress. The fact that she was an enthusiastic participant in another similar crime is certainly... / D: Is irrelevant and prejudicial, even if it were true, which we certainly do not grant.

    1995 November 8, Ed Zuckerman, Morgan Gendel, “Hot Pursuit” (26:25 from the start), in Law & Order, season 6, episode 5, spoken by Defense Attorney Danielle Melnick and Executive ADA Jack McCoy (Tovah Feldshuh and Sam Waterston)

    Synonyms: concur, concede, allow

  4. intransitiveTo assent; to consent.

    Before I would have granted to that act. But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honor.

    c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]
noungrant (plural grants)

plural grants · alternative obsolete graunt

  1. The act of granting or giving

    the grant of permission for a project

    Synonyms: concession, allowance

  2. The yielding or admission of something in dispute.
  3. The thing or property granted; a gift; a boon.

    I got a grant from the government to study archeology in Egypt.

  4. lawA transfer of property by deed or writing; especially, an appropriation or conveyance made by the government.

    a grant of land or of money

  5. The deed or writing by which such a transfer is made.
  6. informalAn application for a grant (monetary boon to aid research or the like).

Grant2

proper nounGrant (countable and uncountable, plural Grants)

plural Grants

  1. countableuncountableAn English surname transferred from the nickname and a Scottish clan name, from a nickname meaning "large".
  2. countableuncountableA male given name transferred from the surname.
  3. A placename
    1. countableuncountableA town in Marshall County, Alabama.
    2. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Inyo County, California.
    3. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Park County, Colorado.
    4. countableuncountableA small city in Montgomery County, Iowa.
    5. countableuncountableA small city in Newaygo County, Michigan.
    6. countableuncountableA city in Washington County, Minnesota.
    7. countableuncountableA small city, the county seat of Perkins County, Nebraska.
    8. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Hardin County, Ohio.
    9. countableuncountableA town in Clark County, Wisconsin.
    10. countableuncountableA town in Dunn County, Wisconsin.
    11. countableuncountableA town in Monroe County, Wisconsin.
    12. countableuncountableA town in Portage County, Wisconsin.
    13. countableuncountableA town in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
    14. countableuncountableA town in Shawano County, Wisconsin.
    15. countableuncountableA large number of townships in the United States, listed under Grant Township.
    16. countableuncountableA rural municipality in Saskatchewan, Canada; in full, the Rural Municipality of Grant No. 372.
    17. countableuncountableA former rural locality in Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia.
    18. countableuncountableA village in Tolmin, Slovenia.
    19. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Grant City.
    20. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Grant County.
    21. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Grant Parish.
    22. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Grant Town.
    23. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Grant Township.
nounGrant (plural Grants)

plural Grants

  1. USslangA United States fifty-dollar bill.

    How much money would you have if you had 2 Grants, 4 Washingtons, and 1 Lincoln?

    1992, Mary Ann Haubner, Edward Rathmell, The Mathematics Experience, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company, published 1994, →ISBN, page 95
    5 more examples

    He could open that footlocker once in awhile^([sic]) and look at actual cash, loads of bills, tens, twenties, eagles, Grants, Lincolns, Washingtons.

    1968, Earl Conrad, Billy Rose, Manhattan Primitive, Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, →LCCN, page 181

    How much money would you have if you had […] 7 Grants? […] 20 Jeffersons and 3 Grants?

    1985, David W. Lowry, Earl G. Ockenga, Walter E. Rucker, Heath General Mathematics, Lexington, Mass.: D. C. Heath and Company, →ISBN, page 55

    Presidents: Cash money, folding bills, the green stuff, cabbage, lettuce, bucks, dough, i.e., Washingtons ($1), Jeffersons ($2), Lincolns ($5), Jacksons ($20), Grants ($50), McKinleys ($500), Clevelands ($1,000), Madisons ($5,000), and Wilsons ($100,000).

    1990, Stewart Wolpin, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle®, New York, N.Y.: New Chapter Press, →ISBN, page 339

    Write an equation for each relevant clue. Solve by substitution. […] h. 10 Grants make a McKinley (M_c). i. 2 Grants make a Franklin.

    1996, Alice Kaseberg, Introductory Algebra: A Just-in-Time Approach, Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 237

    Linus is afraid of money. Not the smaller bills, the Washingtons and Lincolns, the Jacksons and Grants, but the larger sums, the cashier’s checks with multiple zeros, the stock portfolios and escrow accounts, afraid too of what they buy, the new cars with their leather stink, the first-class seats on airplanes, the cellular phones and fax modems.

    1998, Noah Hawley, A Conspiracy of Tall Men, New York, N.Y.: Harmony Books, →ISBN, page 3

    Synonyms: Ulysses Grant, Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. Grant

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo give (permission or wish).

Opposite

verbTo agree with (someone) on (something); to accept (something) for the sake of argument; to admit to (someone) that (something) is true.

nounThe act of granting or giving

nounA United States fifty-dollar bill.

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe act of providing a subsidy

noun(law) a transfer of property by deed of conveyance

Similar
Broader
transferred propertytransferred possession

nouna contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business

Similar
Broader

verblet have

Broader

verbgive as judged due or on the basis of merit

Similar
Broader

verbbe willing to concede

verballow to have

Broader

verbbestow, especially officially

Similar
Broader

verbgive over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

Broader

verbtransfer by deed

Similar
deed over

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

grant · verb, noun

  1. Medieval Latin*credentāre
  2. Latincredere“to believe, trust”
  3. Medieval Latin*credentāre
  4. Old Frenchgranter
  5. Anglo-Normangranter
  6. Middle Englishgranten
  7. Englishgrant

From Middle English granten, graunten, grantien, grauntien, from Anglo-Norman granter, graunter, from Old French granter, graunter, graanter, greanter (“to promise, assure, guarantee, confirm, ratify”), from a merger of Old French garantir, guarantir (“to guarantee, assure, vouch for”) (see English guarantee) and earlier cranter, craanter, creanter (“to allow, permit”), from an assumed Medieval Latin *credentāre, from Latin credere (“to believe, trust”). Alternatively, a regular reflex of Medieval Latin *credentāre with regular voicing of /k/ before a liquid plus low vowel. More at guarantee, credit.

Full word history & related roots →

Grant · proper noun, noun

  1. Latingrandis
  2. Old Frenchgrant
  3. Anglo-Normangraunt“big, large”
  4. Scottish GaelicGrannd
  5. EnglishGrant

From Scottish Gaelic Grannd, from Anglo-Norman graunt (“big, large”), from Old French grant, from Latin grandis. Doublet of grand. The dollar-bill sense is from the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant featured on it.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مَنَحَ, مِنْحة
  • مَنَحَ (manaḥa)to give over
  • مِنْحة (minḥa)informal: application for money
Bulgarian предоставям, отпускам
  • предоставям (predostavjam)to give over
  • отпускам (otpuskam)to give over
  • предоставям (predostavjam)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • разрешавам (razrešavam)to admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • допускам (dopuskam)to admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • съгласявам се (săglasjavam se)to assent; to consent
  • предоставяне (predostavjane)the act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • отпускане (otpuskane)the act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • субсидия (subsidija)the thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
Catalan admetre
  • admetreto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
Chinese Mandarin 授予, 發給 /发给
  • 授予 (shòuyǔ)to give over
  • 發給 /发给 (fāgei, fāgěi)to give over
  • 授予 (shòuyǔ)the act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • 格蘭特 /格兰特 (Gélántè)a male given name
Czech poskytnout, udělit
  • poskytnoutto give over
  • udělitto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • připustitto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • uznatto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • schválitto assent; to consent
  • grantthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • grantinformal: application for money
Dutch verlenen, verlenen
  • verlenento give over
  • verlenento bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • toegevento admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
Esperanto doni
  • donito bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
Finnish myöntää, suoda
  • myöntääto give over
  • suodato give over
  • myöntääto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • suodato bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • myöntääto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • suodato admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • suostuato assent; to consent
  • myöntyäto assent; to consent
  • myöntyminenthe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • suostuminenthe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • myöntyminenthe yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • apurahaa transfer of property by deed or writing
  • avustusa transfer of property by deed or writing
French accorder, attribuer
  • accorderto give over
  • attribuerto give over
  • octroyerto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • admettreto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • subventionthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • boursethe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
German gewähren, erteilen
  • gewährento give over
  • erteilento bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • bewilligento assent; to consent
Greek επιδότηση, Γκραντ
  • επιδότηση (epidótisi)a transfer of property by deed or writing
  • Γκραντ (Gkrant)a male given name
Hindi देना
  • देना (denā)to give over
Irish tíolacadh
  • tíolacadha transfer of property by deed or writing
Italian permettere, concedere
  • permettereto give over
  • concedereto give over
  • conferireto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • ammettereto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • garantireto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • acconsentireto assent; to consent
  • concessionethe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • permessothe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • concessionethe yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • ammissionethe yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • sovvenzionethe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • concessionea transfer of property by deed or writing
  • patrocinioinformal: application for money
Japanese 授与する, 叶える
  • 授与する (juyo suru)to give over
  • 叶える (kanaeru)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • 認める (mitomeru)to admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • 授与 (juyo)the act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • 認可 (ninka)the yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • 譲渡 (jōto)a transfer of property by deed or writing
Latin dono
  • donoto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
Māori karāti, whakahei
  • karātito give over
  • whakaheito bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • karātithe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • Karātia male given name
Norwegian tildele, overgi
  • tildeleto give over
  • overgito give over
  • innvilgeto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • innrømmeto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • tildelingthe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • innrømmelsethe yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • tildelingthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • donasjonthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • overføringa transfer of property by deed or writing
Norwegian Bokmål bevilgning
  • bevilgningthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
Polish darowizna, grant
  • darowiznathe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • grantthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • Granta male given name
Portuguese conceder, conceder
  • concederto give over
  • concederto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • concessãothe act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • subvençãothe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
Russian предоставля́ть, предоста́вить
  • предоставля́ть (predostavljátʹ)to give over
  • предоста́вить (predostávitʹ)to give over
  • выдава́ть (vydavátʹ)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • вы́дать (výdatʹ)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • жа́ловать (žálovatʹ)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • пожа́ловать (požálovatʹ)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • дарова́ть (darovátʹ)to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • допуска́ть (dopuskátʹ)to admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • допусти́ть (dopustítʹ)to admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • соглаша́ться (soglašátʹsja)to assent; to consent
  • согласи́ться (soglasítʹsja)to assent; to consent
  • предоставле́ние (predostavlénije)the act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission
  • усту́пка (ustúpka)the yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • согла́сие (soglásije)the yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • до́пуск (dópusk)the yielding or admission of something in dispute
  • грант (grant)the thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • субси́дия (subsídija)the thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
Spanish otorgar, otorgar
  • otorgarto give over
  • otorgarto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • subvenciónthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • becathe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • patrocinioinformal: application for money
Swedish förläna, bevilja
  • förlänato give over
  • beviljato bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
Turkish vermek, bağışlamak
  • vermekto give over
  • bağışlamakto give over
  • bahşetmekto give over
  • bahşetmekto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
  • ihsan etmekto bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request
Ukrainian надати, надавати
  • надати (nadaty)to give over
  • надавати (nadavaty)to give over
Vietnamese cho, ban
  • choto give over
  • banto give over
  • cấpto give over
  • thừa nhậnto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • công nhậnto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • cho làto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • cho rằngto admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede
  • tiền trợ cấpthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • tiền cấpthe thing or property granted; a gift; a boon
  • đất cấpa transfer of property by deed or writing
Yiddish שענקען
  • שענקען (shenken)to give over

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with grant

All rhymes →

Sounds the same

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

grant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grant

MLA

“grant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grant. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “grant,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grant.

Source: grant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.