Resume Synonyms for Awarded
Want another word for Awarded to use on your resume? Our team's compiled the most effective action verbs and synonyms you can use instead of the overused resume phrase, 'Awarded'.
InterviewPal Career Team
Resume Experts • 10+ Years Experience
The word "awarded" describes receiving recognition, honors, or prizes for achievements. While it indicates success, using this word repeatedly on your resume can make your accomplishments sound passive and generic.
Awarded is not inherently bad to have on your resume—it's just not as impactful as other words that demonstrate your active role in earning recognition. The challenge is that "awarded" focuses on what you received rather than what you accomplished to earn it.
Instead of using the word awarded, use action verbs that show how you actively achieved excellence and earned recognition. When writing a resume, consider verbs that highlight your proactive efforts, leadership, and measurable contributions that led to recognition.
The best synonyms for "awarded" depend on the context of your achievement. For academic honors, words like "earned" or "achieved" work well. For competitive recognitions, "won" or "secured" show your competitive edge. For performance-based awards, "attained" or "obtained" demonstrate goal achievement.
I've compiled some powerful synonyms you can use instead of "awarded" that will make your achievements stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Each alternative shows a more active, results-driven approach to describing your accomplishments.
Better Alternatives to Use Instead
Choose the right synonym based on your context. Click any word to see usage tips and copy it to your clipboard.
Earned
Best for academic achievements, certifications, and merit-based recognition where you actively worked to meet specific criteria and standards
Won
Perfect for competitive situations, contests, and situations where you outperformed others to achieve recognition
Achieved
Ideal for milestone-based recognition and accomplishments that required reaching specific targets or objectives
Secured
Best for competitive grants, funding, contracts, or opportunities that required strategic planning and proposal development
Obtained
Professional and formal, ideal for certifications, licenses, and official credentials that required meeting specific requirements
Attained
Excellent for performance-based recognition and achievements that required sustained effort to reach a high standard
Captured
Dynamic word for highly competitive awards or recognition where you stood out among many candidates
Clinched
Perfect for decisive victories or awards won in close competition, especially in sales or performance contexts
Garnered
Sophisticated choice for collecting multiple forms of recognition or accumulating honors over time
Received
Clean, professional alternative when the focus should be on the recognition itself rather than the competitive aspect
Gained
Implies progression and improvement, ideal for recognition that came through skill development or performance improvement
Landed
Informal but energetic, great for competitive opportunities, internships, or selective programs
Claimed
Strong choice for awards or recognition that you actively pursued and won through determined effort
Seized
Dynamic choice for opportunities or recognition that required quick action or initiative to obtain
Merited
Formal and dignified, perfect for honors and recognition based on qualifications and worthiness
Procured
Professional choice for funding, grants, or resources that required strategic planning and formal processes to obtain
Collected
Good for multiple awards or recognition gathered over time, showing consistent performance
Bagged
Casual but confident, works well for competitive awards in creative or less formal industries
Snagged
Informal choice that suggests quickly capitalizing on opportunities or competitive situations
Acquired
Professional and process-oriented, excellent for credentials, certifications, or formal recognition requiring specific steps
Netted
Business-focused choice that works well for financial awards, bonuses, or revenue-related recognition
Scored
Energetic choice for competitive achievements, performance awards, or situations where you achieved high marks
Captured
Dynamic choice for seizing competitive opportunities or winning recognition in contested situations
Realized
Thoughtful choice for long-term goals or recognition that came through sustained effort and planning
Delivered
Action-oriented choice that emphasizes your role in producing the results that led to recognition
Generated
Perfect for recognition that came from creating something valuable or producing innovative results
How to replace Awarded with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase,Awarded, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Pro Tips for Resume Writing
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Quantify Everything
Numbers make your achievements concrete. Instead of "improved sales," say "boosted sales by 45%." Metrics are memorable.
Start with Action Verbs
Every bullet point should begin with a strong action verb. This immediately shows initiative and makes your resume more dynamic.
Avoid Repetition
Don't use the same action verb twice. Variety keeps recruiters engaged and showcases the breadth of your skills.
Match the Context
Choose synonyms that match your actual role. Leadership words for leading, collaboration words for teamwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
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