reward
/rɪˈwɔːd/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈwɔːrd/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈwȯrd/ (ame, mw)
reward — noun
- rewardsingular
- rewardsplural
1. Money, a gift, or another form of positive return that you get after doing somet
Money, a gift, or another form of positive return that you get after doing something well, putting in a lot of effort, or behaving in a good way.
The company offered Brooke a cash reward for finishing the project two weeks early.
collocation: cash reward
For every ten drinks you buy, the cafe gives you one free as a reward.
pattern: X as a reward
Tamar felt that the happiness on her students' faces was the best reward of all.
The team received a small financial reward for bringing in more customers than any other branch.
Mizuki received a reward of five hundred dollars after completing the apprenticeship program.
用法筆記
Can be both countable (a reward, two rewards) and uncountable (as a reward, in reward for). The uncountable use is more abstract.
常見錯誤
2. A sum of money offered to anyone who provides information that leads to catching
A sum of money offered to anyone who provides information that leads to catching a criminal or that helps recover lost or stolen items.
The police announced a reward of ten thousand dollars for any information about the bank robbery.
collocation: announce a reward
Nadia called the number on the reward poster after spotting the stolen bicycle in a neighbor's yard.
collocation: reward poster
A local business added five hundred dollars to the reward for the return of the missing cat.
No one came forward to claim the reward even though the sum was quite large.
- bounty
More dramatic; historically used for capturing criminals or enemies. Less common in everyday speech.
用法筆記
Almost always used with a specific sum of money and often announced publicly through posters or news. The person who claims the reward is usually anonymous to protect their safety.
3. A pleasant physical or emotional feeling that your nervous system creates when s
A pleasant physical or emotional feeling that your nervous system creates when something good happens, encouraging you to do the same thing again.
After her morning run, Eve felt the familiar chemical reward of endorphins lifting her mood.
collocation: chemical reward
The brain's reward system releases dopamine when you eat something sweet or hear music you enjoy.
collocation: reward system
Nikhil found that finishing a sonata gave him an emotional reward that money could not buy.
Hyun said that his patient's relief was the only reward his work needed.
- satisfaction
Broader; can come from completing a task without involving the brain's chemical system.
- pleasure
More general; does not carry the implication of reinforcing future behavior.
- pain
The unpleasant opposite that the brain uses to discourage certain behaviors.
用法筆記
Often used in the context of neuroscience or psychology, but also in everyday language to describe emotional satisfaction. The plural 'rewards' is frequent when describing multiple sources of pleasure.
4. In behavioral science, an item or event (such as food, praise, or a token) that
In behavioral science, an item or event (such as food, praise, or a token) that is given after a correct action in order to make the subject more likely to repeat that action.
In the experiment, the rat received a food reward each time it pressed the correct lever.
collocation: food reward
Dog trainers use a small treat as a reward to teach new commands.
pattern: X as a reward
The teacher gave stickers as a reward to children who finished a book.
Heloísa gave her puppy a kibble reward the instant it sat down on the kitchen mat.
- reinforcement
The broader technical term in psychology; reward is one type of positive reinforcement.
- incentive
Given before the action to motivate it, while a reward is given after.
- punishment
An unpleasant consequence given to reduce an unwanted behavior.
用法筆記
Technical term in operant conditioning. Distinguish from noun sense 1: this sense is about deliberately using a stimulus to shape behavior, not about naturally receiving something for good work. The reward here is chosen by the trainer or experimenter, not earned by the subject.
常見錯誤
reward — verb
- rewardpresent simple I / you / we / they
- rewards3rd person singular
- rewarding-ing form
- rewardedpast simple
1. To give money, a gift, praise, or some form of recognition to someone because of
To give money, a gift, praise, or some form of recognition to someone because of their effort, good work, helpful action, or proper behavior.
The foundation decided to reward Léa for ten years of volunteer work at the animal shelter.
pattern: reward + person + for + action
Mizuki's parents rewarded her with a trip to the beach after she passed all her exams.
pattern: reward + person + with + thing
The company rewards employees who come up with ideas that save energy or reduce waste.
Brooke's patience was rewarded when the toddler finally fell asleep in her arms.
The garden rewarded Noor with bright flowers after months of watering and weeding.
- compensate
Usually means paying for work done or for a loss suffered; more formal and financial.
- repay
Can mean returning a favor; less about recognition and more about returning an equivalent.
- honor
More formal; involves public recognition or an award ceremony.
- punish
To give an unpleasant consequence for wrongdoing.
文法句型
reward + person + with + thing
reward + person + for + action
用法筆記
The two most common structures are 'reward someone FOR something' (reason) and 'reward someone WITH something' (the thing given). Often used in the passive voice to focus on the person being rewarded. A thing or situation can also be the grammatical subject in a metaphorical sense (e.g., 'The view rewarded the hikers.').