Grant vs Subsidy

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Grant

Formal Top 2,000 (common) B2 verb

Subsidy

Formal Beyond 10,000 (less common) C1 noun

Most common: Grant

	Grant	Subsidy
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ɡrɑːnt/","/ɡrɑːnts/","/ˈɡrɑːntɪd/","/ˈɡrɑːntɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɡrænt/","/ɡrænts/","/ˈɡræntɪd/","/ˈɡræntɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌbsədi/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌbsədi/"]/
Meaning	To give something, especially officially.	Money given by the government to help support a business or service.
Example	The teacher decided to grant the students extra time for their assignment.	agricultural subsidies
Register	Formal	Formal
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	B2	C1
Part of speech	verb	noun
Collocations	expressly, specifically, automatically, agree to, decide to, refuse to, expressly, specifically, automatically, agree to, decide to, refuse to	big, generous, heavy, amount, level, get, receive, lose, payments, scheme, system, subsidy for, subsidy on, subsidy to, a cut in subsidies, a reduction in subsidies, the abolition of subsidies
Antonyms	revoke, withhold	tax, fee
Common mistakes	Confused with 'granted' which is the past tense., Using 'grant' without an object., Mixing up 'grant' with 'gift', thinking they are interchangeable.	Confused with 'subsidize' as a verb., Misuse as a countable noun without understanding it is often uncountable in general use., Used in informal contexts where a simpler term like 'help' would suffice.
Usage notes	Typically used in formal contexts such as legal or educational settings. Avoid in casual conversations.	Typically used in economics and politics. It's more appropriate in formal discussions about government funding and less common in casual conversation.

See it in real clips

if Mr. Woltz would grant us a favor.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Thank you, Sergeant Grant.

if Mr. Woltz would grant us a favor.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Thank you, Sergeant Grant.

Grant

Frequently asked questions: Grant vs Subsidy

What's the difference between Grant and Subsidy?

Grant: To give something, especially officially. Subsidy: Money given by the government to help support a business or service.

Which is more common: Grant and Subsidy?

Grant is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Grant and Subsidy?

Subsidy is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Grant and Subsidy the same CEFR level?

Grant: B2, Subsidy: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Grant and Subsidy?

Grant: verb, Subsidy: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Grant: The teacher decided to grant the students extra time for their assignment. Subsidy: agricultural subsidies

Can I use Grant and Subsidy interchangeably?

Not always. Grant and Subsidy are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.