dole out

verb

Definition of dole outnext
as in to distribute
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals she doles out office supplies as if she were paying for them out of her own pocket

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dole out differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dole out are deal, dispense, distribute, and divide. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

When is deal a more appropriate choice than dole out?

The words deal and dole out are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

When might dispense be a better fit than dole out?

The words dispense and dole out can be used in similar contexts, 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

Where would distribute be a reasonable alternative to dole out?

While in some cases nearly identical to dole out, 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 dole out?

Although the words divide and dole out have much in common, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

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 dole out And there were plenty of smaller prizes doled out too, 124 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 25 tickets won $150,000 prizes. —Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Sep. 2025 Fernandes Anderson doled out a $13,000 bonus to one of her Council staffers, a relative but not an immediate family member, on the condition that $7,000 be kicked back to her. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025 The Sanseito party tapped into these frustrations on the campaign trail – doling out rhetoric that some critics called inflammatory and xenophobic. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025 More than $250M in incentives were doled out today across 22 series that are returning, relocating or launching production in the state, including Dan Fogelman’s upcoming NFL drama, which received a whopping $42M — even more than the show had originally been approved for. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dole out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dole out
  1. distribute
  2. dispense
  3. provide
  4. hand out
  5. allocate
  6. divide
Verb
  • Fill a seed spreader with seed and use it to distribute seed evenly over your grass.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Amid enthusiasm for the decriminalization, Anutin himself announced in that same year his intention to distribute one million low-THC medical cannabis plants to households across the country.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of distribute
Verb
  • But here, your character dispenses all that great wisdom about how to succeed in Vegas, but the character has evolved into also being a dangerous man who orders broken bones and killings of those who cross him.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The Phillies may want to take note of that fact Thomson dispensed, because having one of those 34 players that have ever accomplished a feat of such impressive magnitude on your team is a pretty serious advantage.
    — Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of dispense
Verb
  • The triangular lights have a solar panel on the long, top side that generates power throughout the day to provide up to eight hours of lighting overnight.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Dario Essugo and Andrey Santos (following his return from Strasbourg on loan) provide more options in midfield.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of provide
Verb
  • Fans got an evening full of Moon Persons being handed out, show-stopping performances and plenty of surprises along the way — including a live f-bomb and touching family moment with the Osbournes.
    — Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That tension—the desire to be recognized and the discomfort in handing out compliments—was brought to life in a now-famous social experiment.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of hand out
Verb
  • Foreign-aid organizations challenged the administration's ability to refuse to spend funds already allocated by Congress.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The grants were allocated under President Joe Biden's signature Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, an anti-gun violence law signed after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
    — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Definition of allocate
Verb
  • While Towanda plans the wedding of her dreams, the family is rocked by medical emergencies, explosive emotional confrontations, and the fallout from a public scandal that threatens to divide them for good.
    — Charna Flam, People.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The conflict between Israel and Palestine was dividing friends, sparking tensions, and fueling rising acts of hostility.
    — Rchin Bari, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of divide

Browse Nearby Words

dolefulness
dole out
doles
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dole out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dole%20out. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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