General meaning of "to provide with a gift or quality":
* Bestow: This implies a formal or generous act of giving.
* Grant: This suggests a formal or legal act of giving.
* Give: This is a simple and direct synonym.
* Provide: This emphasizes the act of supplying something needed.
* Furnish: This implies providing something tangible or practical.
* Equip: This suggests providing something necessary for a particular purpose.
* Invest: This suggests giving something valuable with the expectation of a return.
Specific meanings of "endow"
* To endow with a quality:
* Imbue: This implies filling something with a quality or characteristic.
* Infuse: This suggests gradually introducing a quality or characteristic.
* Bless: This implies a divine or supernatural gift.
* To endow with a financial gift:
* Donate: This implies a gift to a charitable organization.
* Fund: This implies providing financial support for a specific purpose.
* Establish: This implies providing a financial foundation for an institution.
The best synonym for "endow" depends on the specific context of the sentence.