award，reward 这两个词都可以用作名词和动词，作名词时，意义相近，但不是同义词。
作名词时，award的意思是“奖品”、“奖金”，其义与prize近似，两者都指因为作出杰出成就而受奖。
例： The Olympic winner received a gold medal as an award. He won the second award of $ 2，000. 而reward作名词时，其意为“赏金”、“酬金”或一些非金钱的报酬。
例： We will offer a reward of ten thousand dollars for information about the case. 如果有人提供有关案件的情报，我们愿意出一万元赏金。 We don't expect substantial rewards.我们并不期望得到优厚的报酬。
用作动词时，award的意思是“授与”、“颁发”、“判给”;reward则表示“报答”、“酬谢”之意。例： He was awarded the first prize for Outstanding Industrial Design.他获杰出工业设计一等奖。 We judge awarded him twenty thousand dollars as damages.法官判给他二万元作为赔偿费。 You should reward them according to their deserts.你应该对他们论功行赏。 Is that how you reward me for my help?你就是这样来报答我给你的帮助吗? reward也可以用于比喻意。
例： I would feel amply rewarded if my book—A Study of English Twins—could be of some help to the readers. 如果我的书《英语学生词语之研究》对读者有所帮助的话，我就感到心满意足了。