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

Another case is pending against a bank that helps disburse payments to unbanked Social Security recipients. —Emily Peck, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025

Feeding Our Future went from taking in and disbursing $3.4 million in federal funds in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021. —Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025

The money was part of $110.8 million in cash deposits in the fund — a tiny fraction of the more than $620 million the Biden administration had disbursed for the mission. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025

The Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday to disburse $3.3 million in federal and state funds toward the project called the Monarch, according to a city staff report. —Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 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