DOLE OUT Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

dole out

verb

Definition of dole out next

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

Examples 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 But Isaacman has shared some of his ideas about NASA policy and how the space agency should dole out contract dollars — and some of them directly involve Blue Origin. —

Jackie Wattles, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024 The quarterback was down for a bit and Jaguars players came over to dole out some of their own kind of justice toward Al-Shaair. —

Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024 But Kennedy could have been an era-defining leader of the USDA, which regulates school lunches, doles out subsidies for oilseed crops, and sets rules for public-assistance programs including SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. —

Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 3 Dec. 2024 Don’t the people doling out medicine all day and night also deserve the best medicine themselves? —

Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dole out

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dole out

Verb

Founded by lawyer Song Ong Siang and physician Lim Boon Keng, the Straits Chinese Magazine was distributed as far afield as Yokohama, San Francisco, and London.

H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 22 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, the nonprofit's food pantry distributed nearly 3.2 million pounds of food from January to November, 24% more compared with the same time period last year.

Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024