as in distributed
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals
a conscientious pharmacist never dispenses pills to people without assurances that they understand the instructions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 dispensed
Theater owners cut prices and dispensed prizes to ticket buyers as the gangsters effectively cross-pollinated with the studio dance numbers.
—
Peter Bart, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
In Mayorkas' case, the Senate's Democratic majority dispensed with the charges shortly after the trial began.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Ernesto was an activist who dispensed food and medicine in Salvadoran refugee camps.
—Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The need for the list took on new urgency in 2012, when more than 60 people died from fungal meningitis infections contracted from a drug produced at a compounding facility and dispensed to hundreds of people.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 3 Apr. 2026
During one recent stop at the ArtPrize event, Zelenak said more than 3,000 acts of kindness were dispensed before the machine ran out.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Or a slightly shorter series that dispensed with the preamble, but gave the real meat of the story more room to breathe?
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The money the production crew dispensed in Archer City helped most people over any hurt feelings.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Cordell Walker, a steely-eyed former Marine who dispensed Lone Star justice with roundhouse kicks and a decidedly old-school moral code.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Peter Bart, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
In Mayorkas' case, the Senate's Democratic majority dispensed with the charges shortly after the trial began.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Ernesto was an activist who dispensed food and medicine in Salvadoran refugee camps.
—Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The need for the list took on new urgency in 2012, when more than 60 people died from fungal meningitis infections contracted from a drug produced at a compounding facility and dispensed to hundreds of people.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 3 Apr. 2026
During one recent stop at the ArtPrize event, Zelenak said more than 3,000 acts of kindness were dispensed before the machine ran out.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Or a slightly shorter series that dispensed with the preamble, but gave the real meat of the story more room to breathe?
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The money the production crew dispensed in Archer City helped most people over any hurt feelings.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Cordell Walker, a steely-eyed former Marine who dispensed Lone Star justice with roundhouse kicks and a decidedly old-school moral code.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispensed
Verb
-
How to best address the cross-border problem of whose rules apply when validators, liquidity providers, and end users are globally distributed?—
Bob Diamond,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Torres-Ortiz allegedly collected the packages and took them to secondary locations where Edgar Castro Perez and Arroyo-Robles allegedly stored them until the cocaine was distributed further, federal officials claimed.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On offense, role players such as Gavin Sheets, Luis Campusano and Ty France have provided timely impact; in FanGraphs’ definition of high-leverage situations, the Padres rank first in OPS and wRC+.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, scandals have provided rolling revelations of a general unseriousness.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jackson's death was later declared a homicide at the hands of Murray, who administered the fatal dose of Propofol.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Officers administered life-saving measures on the scene before the driver was taken to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Specialists recommend high-loft pillows for most side sleepers, which is usually best supplied by some type of memory foam or firmer pillow.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Employers are reluctant to hire people and workers are reluctant to leave their jobs—but that isn’t generating mass joblessness, according to recent notes from Piper Sandler, Jefferies, and Pantheon (which supplied the above chart).—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gates at O’Hare are allocated by how much an airline flew the previous year, incentivizing airlines to add flights.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The report noted that the government had allocated 102 million Australian dollars ($73 million) to increase security at Jewish sites including synagogues and schools.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispensed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispensed. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
