A bonus is something extra. It can mean an extra paymentmoney paid to someone for work, services, or a reward given for good work or as a rewardsomething given in return for effort, achievement, or good behavior, and in a more general sense it can mean an added advantagea helpful benefit that makes a situation better or pleasant extra.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈboʊnəs/
Easy pronunciation: BOH-nəs (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Noun meaning an extra payment or reward, not the other noun sense meaning something that gives extra encouragement.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Bonus Meaning
extra money you get for good work or as a reward
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an extra payment given to an employee, often for good results or as a reward
Example: The team received a bonus after finishing the project early.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- incentive — Can fit when the payment is meant to encourage better performance, but it is not an exact everyday substitute.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Bonus
Meaning 2
an added benefit or advantage
Part of speech: noun
Definition: something extra that is helpful or enjoyable
Example: Getting free shipping was a nice bonus.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- fillip — Can mean something that gives extra encouragement or adds a boost, but it is less common and not always interchangeable.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Bonus Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- incentive
an added benefit or advantage
- fillip
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use bonus to mean any reward, but in business it often means extra pay.
- Bonus can also mean an extra benefit, which is different from the salary payment sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does bonus mean?
Bonus usually means extra money given for good work or as a reward. It can also mean an added benefit or pleasant extra.
What is a synonym for bonus?
In the pay sense, incentive can be a partial synonym. In the extra-benefit sense, fillip is sometimes related, but it is less common.
Is bonus the same as salary?
No. A bonus is extra money or an extra benefit, while salary is the regular amount paid for work.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.