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 WebSome companies have already signed up as award sponsors, led by Mexico’s venerable Estudios Churubusco doling out the main post-production award along with Latin American one-stop-shop, Labo.—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 7 Aug. 2024 The same organization doled out more than $9 million in support of Bell and opposing Bush.—Nikole Killion, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2024 There are 90 days until the election and Kamala Harris has promised to announce Tuesday which white dude will be her running mate, doling out the honor with all the drama of the Bachelorette passing out a stay-or-go rose.—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024 The county was denied $950,000 in funding from the state's Criminal Justice Commission, which doles out deflection grants.—Axios Portland, Axios, 6 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dole out
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dole out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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