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 The answer, which intrigued Stone, was that awards were often doled out to films for reasons beyond just their intrinsic merits. —Marc Tracy, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025 The couple doled out petite golden bee pins for all the guests to wear, People reports − Joan's inspiration and favorite animal. —Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025 Many analysts and fans were surprised that the Bengals would dole out that level of cash given owner Mike Brown’s reputation for being cheap. —Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Aja Naomi King is doling out some inspiring words for her former How to Get Away with Murder castmate Viola Davis. —Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 16 Mar. 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. divide
  6. allocate
Verb
  • Skyline Media has distributed more than 800 international films and served as sales agent for over 150 Vietnamese and Southeast Asian titles.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
  • El Tayeb Siddig/Reuters That funding was part of some $661 million that USAID distributed in Sudan last year, accounting for nearly half of the global humanitarian response to the crisis.
    — Violet Ikong, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of distribute
Verb
  • Renee sometimes sang with her hand on her hip, dispensing wisdom, and occasionally dancing on stage with her sister.
    — Lisa Tozzi, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Gaudy costumes and secret identities were dispensed with whilst newsreaders and rock songs from the real world were woven into the plots.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of dispense
Verb
  • The traffic alert was reported Tuesday at 5:02 p.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Tuesday at 5:08 p.m.
    — Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • His lawyers say the charges against him are baseless, and say officials have not provided any evidence to support them.
    — Adrian Florido, NPR, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of provide
Verb
  • After all, trophies were handed out at the conclusion of each competition.
    — Will Jeanes, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
  • There is no doubt that the money on offer to both players and clubs is impressive, and will likely change a lot of lives once it has all been handed out later this year.
    — Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of hand out
Verb
  • The Trump administration reportedly calculated the tariff by dividing the trade deficit ($7.4 billion) by the value of imports to America ($22.2 billion) and then essentially halving the figure to reach 17%.
    — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The appeals court divided 2-1 in turning down the government's request to halt Boasberg's directive.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Since large crowds for the theme park will be inevitable following its opening next month, allocate a few days to experience everything at Epic Universe on any future trips.
    — Samantha Neely, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
  • One of the stops of the rail tour is Istanbul, Turkey. Adventure by Train The company will allocate $100 per person per hotel for laundry services and recommends passengers travel with bags that can fit in overhead compartments.
    — Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of allocate

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 18 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of dole out for Spanish Speakers

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