distribute

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb distribute differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of distribute are deal, dispense, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When can deal be used instead of distribute?

While the synonyms deal and distribute are close in meaning, deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

In what contexts can dispense take the place of distribute?

The synonyms dispense and distribute are sometimes interchangeable, but dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need.

dispensed wisdom to the students

When is divide a more appropriate choice than distribute?

In some situations, the words divide and distribute are roughly equivalent. However, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When could dole out be used to replace distribute?

While in some cases nearly identical to distribute, dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distribute However, the bank did not assign a rating or price target given its policy that a biotech company must first have a product that has passed a Phase 2 clinical trial or a license to distribute after that stage. Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025 The costs of freer trade, immigration, and capital mobility have been unevenly distributed. Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Juana is currently distributed through more than 100 clinics in the UAE and readying a global expansion into premium retail. Ritu Upadhyay, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025 The food bank will help distribute 270,000 eggs to support families affected by the wildfires; another 54,000 eggs will go to Gather For Good, which works with restaurant owners, chefs, farmers and others in the service industry to prepare meals for first responders and others across the LA area. Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distribute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distribute
Verb
  • Despite the depth and breadth of his transactions, Sweeney did not classify his work as a teardown.
    Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Using data from nearly 10,000 herbarium specimens, scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have brought attention to the conservation status of these plants, revealing that 87 species—almost half of the genus—are now classified as threatened with extinction.
    Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Priorities, Politics And The MBA The question is whether the FT rankings criteria and relative weight allotted to those criteria—by applicants or by the FT—may change in light of shifting interests.
    Dr. Marlena Corcoran, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
  • In Nigeria, the president convened an emergency cabinet committee to make a plan for the budget shortfall, and Parliament allotted an extra $200 million to the national budget last week.
    Stephanie Nolen, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The oversized vending machine near the tournament entrance and at the store dispense the signature headband, branded by Lululemon, of course.
    Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The lawsuit asks the court to outlaw the medication for anyone under 18, reinstate the in-person appointment requirement, mandate that only doctors can prescribe the pills and limit the ability of retail pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens, to dispense the medication.
    Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Two critical areas where Kansas struggles are 1) free-throw rate (its 23.9 FTR ranks No. 357 in the nation) and 2) low-volume and inefficient 3-point shooting.
    Tyler Everett, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The Billboard tally ranks the tunes that reach the largest audience via radio stations that focus on playing a more mature, adult style of pop music — hence the name.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • McNulty was part of the agency's elite Public Health Associate Program, assigned to the Iowa Cancer Consortium, a small group working on statewide efforts to combat what is the country's second-highest cancer rate.
    Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Robot vacuums with mopping features can easily transition between mopping and regular vacuuming based on the needs assigned by the user and tend to have a comparable cost to more traditional robot vacuums.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The upper stage ended up exploding over the Atlantic Ocean, providing a dramatic sky show for people in the Turks and Caicos Islands and nearby areas.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The Context Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week entered its fourth year, with the U.S. previously providing billions in military and humanitarian support.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, distinguished as the richest person in the world, has been especially controversial since Trump's inauguration.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The war in Gaza has resulted in more than 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • While side hustles are a major way children are saving up money, many are also allocating their allowances to their savings — especially when considering that 62 percent of 6-year-olds receive an allowance and 80 percent of children receive one by the age of 14.
    Kanika Talwar, WWD, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Of those, more than a third were allocated out of sequence, meaning they should have been offered to candidates higher on a waiting list.
    Sam Allard, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distribute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distribute. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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