disburse

verb

dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs 

disbursed; disbursing

transitive verb

1

a

: to pay out : expend especially from a fund

disburse money

b

: to make a payment in settlement of

disburse a bill

2

: distribute

disburser noun

Synonyms

• drop
• expend
• fork (over, out, or up)
• give
• lay out
• outlay
• pay
• shell out
• spend

Examples of disburse in a Sentence

The money will be disbursed on the basis of need.

The government has disbursed millions of dollars in foreign aid.

Recent Examples on the Web

The quantums of capital are just so much more than anything VC has ever before disbursed, based on what might be a suddenly-stale thesis. —Dan Primack, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Budget Committee Wednesday, Vought, who will be tasked with disbursing federal funds if confirmed, denied Trump violated the Impoundment Control Act with his executive order halting some federal funding. —Alison Durkee, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Law enforcement had used chemical agents to disburse racial justice protesters, and Budde was outraged. —Sarah Ventre, NPR, 21 Jan. 2025

Ewing also noted that the law enables the Energy Department to disburse loans to climate-friendly energy projects. —Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French desbourser, from Old French desborser, from des- dis- + borse purse, from Medieval Latin bursa

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

disburse

verb

dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs 

disbursed; disbursing

: to pay out : expend

disburse money

disburser noun

Etymology

from early French desbourser "to pay out money," from des- "out, away" and borse "a purse," from Latin bursa "a small leather bag" — related to purse, reimburse