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Preposition after verb

Bestow upon or bestow on?

Both bestow on and bestow upon are standard. Bestow upon is slightly more formal and common in ceremonial or literary style.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows bestow?

Use bestow on or bestow upon when giving an honour, gift, right, or privilege to someone. Both are correct, but upon sounds more formal.

The university bestowed upon her an honorary degree.
The charity bestowed on him a lifetime award.
They bestowed on the town special status.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
bestow on + person

Giving something to someone

Use bestow on before the person receiving an honour, gift, or privilege.

The committee bestowed on her a medal.
2
bestow upon + person

Formal or ceremonial style

Bestow upon has the same meaning as bestow on but sounds more formal.

The king bestowed upon the soldier a title.
3
bestow + noun + on/upon + person

Naming the thing given

The thing being given usually comes before the preposition.

They bestowed great praise on the young scientist.
4
bestow with + object

Giving a quality or feature

Bestow with is used in some formal expressions meaning to equip or provide.

Nature has bestowed him with remarkable patience.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
bestow on
The academy bestowed on her a special honour.
Standard and common for giving honours or privileges.
bestow upon
The foundation bestowed upon him a scholarship.
Standard but more formal or literary.
bestow with
The role bestowed her with unexpected influence.
Used when providing someone with a quality or advantage.
bestow to
They bestowed the award to her.
Nonstandard after bestow; use on or upon instead.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using to after bestow

Bestow normally takes on or upon, not to.

✕ The council bestowed the prize to Maria. ✓ The council bestowed the prize on Maria.

Omitting the recipient preposition

When naming the recipient, include on or upon.

✕ They bestowed him an honour. ✓ They bestowed an honour on him.

Using bestow for ordinary giving

Bestow is formal and usually refers to honours, rights, or special gifts.

✕ She bestowed me a sandwich. ✓ She gave me a sandwich.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The university bestowed an award ___ the researcher.
2. Which sentence is most formal? ___
3. Choose the correct sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Is bestow upon old-fashioned?

No. It is still used, especially in formal, ceremonial, or literary contexts.

Can I say bestow to someone?

No. Standard English uses bestow on or bestow upon.

What kinds of things are bestowed?

People usually bestow honours, awards, rights, praise, titles, or privileges.

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