Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dispense differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dispense are deal, distribute, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," 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

Where would deal be a reasonable alternative to dispense?

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

deal out equipment and supplies

When can distribute be used instead of dispense?

In some situations, the words distribute and dispense are roughly equivalent. However, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When would divide be a good substitute for dispense?

The words divide and dispense can be used in similar contexts, but divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When is dole out a more appropriate choice than dispense?

The words dole out and dispense are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 dispense Trump would dispense with the peace processor’s shibboleth that a permanent settlement in Gaza and the West Bank was a prerequisite for regional stability. Noah Rothman, National Review, 12 May 2025 In 2019, the two came up with the idea for a vending machine to dispense art while in Portland, Oregon, where Loomis was living at the time. Virginia Brown, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2025 The Drama League, made up of industry professions, producers, artists, audiences and critics, first dispensed awards in 1922 and formalized the practice in 1935, making the The Drama League Awards the oldest theatrical honors in America. Greg Evans, Deadline, 16 May 2025 The ensuing conflict between them takes an abrupt turn into a hotel-room two-hander as Anima fastens Abel to a bed and coerces him into confronting his feelings by playing his own music to him and dispensing shallow insights about how his songs’ upbeat melodies belie their cry-for-help content. Charles Bramesco, IndieWire, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dispense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispense
Verb
  • The New Neighbor City Services Guide will be distributed to new residents and those relocating within the city via a postcard with a link to access the digital guide.
    Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2025
  • Today, Last Rhino distributes across Virginia, D.C., Maryland, and a bit of West Virginia, with plans to expand into North Carolina next.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • Both Norton and Bitdefender provide a spot to record all details about the contents of your wallet.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 7 June 2025
  • Senior third baseman Holly Smith provided some stellar defense in the third inning, charging a grounder on the line, scooping the ball up and flipping it to Sujack out of her glove all in one motion for the third out on a force play at the plate.
    Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • States would face a steeper burden in administering their Medicaid programs and marketplaces, resulting in eligible people losing coverage, said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy's Center for Children and Families.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 June 2025
  • The Bureau of Indian Education, which administers federal funding for tribal colleges, and the Department of the Interior, the bureau’s parent agency, declined to answer questions.
    Matt Krupnick, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Under the Republican bill, Medicaid spending will still grow, and Washington would still allocate $7.9 trillion to the program.
    The Editors, National Review, 5 June 2025
  • Illinois allocated $75 million in state funding to continue to provide rental assistance to tenants and their landlords for fiscal year 2025.
    Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dispense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispense. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dispense

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