dole out

verb

doled out; doling out; doles out

transitive verb

1

: to give or deliver in small portions

2

: dish out

Synonyms

• administer
• allocate
• apportion
• deal (out)
• dispense
• distribute
• hand out
• mete (out)
• parcel (out)
• portion
• prorate

Choose the Right Synonym for dole out

distribute, dispense, divide, deal, dole out mean to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group.

distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

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

divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Examples of dole out in a Sentence

she doles out office supplies as if she were paying for them out of her own pocket

Recent Examples on the Web

The colleges instead will dole out their present sports revenue in the form of student paychecks, hopefully avoiding demands for even more funding representing of past glory. —Peter Bart, Deadline, 21 June 2024

For 2025, the foundation will dole out at least two grants, though that cohort could rise to three. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2024

Cuban seems to know as much, and doles out his bonuses accordingly. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024

One of these policies is a rule, known as geo-return, to dole out industrial contracts to companies in each European nation commensurate with that government's financial commitment to an individual project. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 29 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1