bounty
8 synonyms and 2 antonyms for bounty, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A reward offered, often by an authority, for capturing a person or completing a specific task.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A reward offered, often by an authority, for capturing a person or completing a specific task.
“There was a large bounty on the escaped fugitive.”
How to use bounty
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
bounty hunter
a bounty on someone's head
bug bounty
Etymology
From Old French bonté, "goodness," from Latin bonitas — the reward sense developed later in English.
Full origin of bounty →Frequently asked questions
What does “bounty” mean?
The word “bounty” means a reward offered, often by an authority, for capturing a person or completing a specific task. In plain terms, a reward for catching someone or completing a task, or generous abundance.
How do you pronounce “bounty”?
“Bounty” is pronounced BOWN-tee (/ˈbaʊn(t)i/ in IPA).
How do you use “bounty” in a sentence?
Here is “bounty” used in a sentence: “There was a large bounty on the escaped fugitive.”
What part of speech is “bounty”?
“Bounty” is a noun.
Where does the word “bounty” come from?
The word “bounty” comes from Latin. From Old French bonté, "goodness," from Latin bonitas — the reward sense developed later in English.
Is “bounty” a common word?
“Bounty” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bounty” have?
“Bounty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a reward offered, often by an authority, for capturing a person or completing a specific task.
What is the difference between a bounty and a reward?
A bounty is typically a reward offered by an authority for capturing a person or completing a specific task, often carrying a formal or official tone, such as a bounty on a wanted criminal. "Reward" is a more general term that can apply to any prize given for good behaviour, effort, or achievement.
What does it mean to have a bounty on someone's head?
Having a bounty on someone's head means an authority or organization has offered a reward for capturing that person, often used literally in law enforcement contexts or figuratively to describe someone being pursued.
What is the difference between bounty and abundance?
When used to mean generosity or plenty, bounty refers to the generous giving of something or the plentiful things that generosity provides, while abundance simply describes a large quantity of something without necessarily implying generosity. Bounty carries a slightly more poetic or old-fashioned tone in this sense.
