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

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

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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

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 dole out Online, influencers in the looksmaxxing space have leveraged other men's insecurities to enormous fame while doling out aesthetic advice with little, if any, credentials. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 When asked about the punishment doled out for fumbling the football, which is the ultimate cardinal sin of the sport, De’Von Achane seemingly thought creating one was a good idea, and pledged to get back to the media with an idea. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 The game’s template solidified over the course of four Game Changer installments, doled out once per season until Make Some Noise became a stand-alone show in 2022. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 July 2026 The proposal asks for the money to be doled out over a five-year period, which includes $250 million payments in 2029 and 2030 and smaller increments in the other three years. — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dole out

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dole out

Verb

Uganda received its first batch of nearly 20,000 doses of lenacapavir in February and began distributing it in April, one month behind schedule.

— Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
Images distributed by Iran’s semiofficial news agency ISNA showed oil fouling the island's beaches.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of distribute

Verb

That’s the takeaway from an incident in the small city of Chuzhou, China, after a large langue model dispensed some advice that led to the untimely death of 25 acres worth of produce.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
The new law prohibits drugmakers from restricting the number or types of pharmacies that hospitals and other providers can contract with to dispense medications to their patients through a federal program called the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

— Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of dispense

Verb

Allegedly, so many cinema-goers vomited and fainted during the initial screenings of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) that theatre staff had to hand out smelling salts.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Take a look The White Sox's papal play Pope Leo XIV got a tribute Tuesday night when the White Sox hosted the Cincinnati Reds, as over 40,000 pope hats were handed out to fans and even players.

— Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of hand out

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dolefulness

dole out

doles

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“Dole out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dole%20out. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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