distribute

American  

[dih-strib-yoot] / dɪˈstrɪb jut /

verb (used with object)

• distributes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• distributed,
  past participle,  past
• distributing
  present participle

1. to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.

   Synonyms:

   apportion, mete, assign

2. to disperse through a space or over an area; spread; scatter.

3. to promote, sell, and ship or deliver (an item or line of merchandise) to individual customers, especially in a specified region or area.

4. to pass out or deliver (mail, newspapers, etc.) to intended recipients.

5. to divide into distinct phases.

   The process was distributed into three stages.

6. to divide into classes.

   These plants are distributed into 22 classes.

   Synonyms:

   categorize, arrange, sort, classify

7. Logic. to employ (a term) in a proposition so as to refer to all individuals denoted by the term.

8. Physical Chemistry. to dissolve uniformly in a solvent consisting of layers of immiscible or partially miscible substances.

9. Printing.

   1. to roll out (ink) on the table to attain the proper consistency.

   2. to return (type) to the proper place after printing.

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distribute British  

/ dɪˈstrɪbjuːt /

verb

1. to give out in shares; dispense

2. to hand out or deliver

   to distribute handbills

3. (often passive) to spread throughout a space or area

   gulls are distributed along the west coast

4. (often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classify

   these books are distributed in four main categories

5. printing to return (used type) to the correct positions in the type case

6. logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition

7. maths logic to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in a ( b + c ) yields ab + ac

8. obsolete to dispense (justice)

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Synonym Usage

Distribute, dispense apply to giving out something. Distribute implies apportioned, individualized giving, especially of something that is definite or limited in amount or number: The prizes were distributed among ten winners. Dispense formerly implied indiscriminate, general, and liberal giving, especially of something that was more or less indefinite or unmeasured in amount: to dispense largesse. It now applies chiefly to giving according to need or deserts, from an organized and official source: to dispense medicines and food to the victims.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predistribute
  verb (used with object)
• distributable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• distributing
  present
• distributed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• distribute
  simple
• distributes
  simple
• have distributed
  perfect
• has distributed
  perfect
• am distributing
  progressive
• are distributing
  progressive
• is distributing
  progressive
• have been distributing
  perfect progressive
• has been distributing
  perfect progressive

Past

• distributed
  simple
• had distributed
  perfect
• was distributing
  progressive
• were distributing
  progressive
• had been distributing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will distribute
  simple
• will have distributed
  perfect
• will be distributing
  progressive
• will have been distributing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of distribute

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin distribūtus, past participle of distribuere “to divide up”; see dis- ¹, tribute

Explanation

To distribute is to disperse widely, hand out, or spread around. While you're still snoozing, the paper boy is busy distributing the newspaper all over the neighborhood. This verb was first recorded in the early 15th century and has its roots in the Latin distributus, meaning “to divide.” Think of dividing up the last cookies in the cookie jar and passing them out to all your friends. Distribute can also mean to space out or arrange in a particular order — you'd want to distribute the chairs in even lines across the floor when setting up for a concert, for example.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distribute distributes distributed distributing

Ask whether the plan can distribute shares in kind.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

Before implementing the merger, Cirsa will distribute to its shareholders an extraordinary dividend of 262 million euros, or 1.56 euros per share.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Chambers said he worked with volunteers to distribute sleeping bags, water purification tools, food and essentials to communities cut off by collapsed bridges, travelling to the area by helicopter.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

CBS will continue to distribute the shows in the U.S. for an additional two and a half years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

All those properties they had stolen he was going to distribute among the poor.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Instead, the beneficiaries typically work directly with the IRA custodian, which transfers their respective shares into inherited IRAs or otherwise distributes the assets according to the applicable rules.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

It stores and distributes eagle remains, parts and feathers to federally recognized tribes for religious, cultural and ceremonial purposes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

The contractor operated a Maryland data center that stored public-company data that the SEC distributes for investors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Roku is an attractive asset because its smart TV platform distributes streaming services to more than 100 million households.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

A second representative distributes uniforms: white shirts, white shorts, white socks.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

The majors have historically distributed only 12% to 15% of revenues to players.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Shortly after the two major announcements of possible extraterrestrial life in 2025, we surveyed astrobiologists to understand how expert judgment was distributed across the field.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026

If the estate is the beneficiary and the owner died before that date, the five-year rule applies: the entire account must be distributed by Dec. 31 of the fifth year after the owner’s death.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026

A federal judge recently approved a $72.5 million settlement with Bank of America that will be distributed to dozens of Epstein victims.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

Dasch had carefully distributed a large amount of money to his team the day before the landing.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

The FDA warned the company four times in 2025 to stop marketing and distributing its device prior to authorization, and then pointed out that it hadn’t complied with those requests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

“He’s not the JV kid who got pulled up to varsity. He’s the starter. He’s done a good job distributing the ball.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

At the Nuwakot shelter, an AFP reporter saw workers from the United Nations Population Fund distributing "dignity kits" containing sanitary pads, soap, underwear and other basic personal-care items to women.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Muck-spreading is the process of distributing animal manure across farmland as a natural fertiliser and typically takes place twice a year, in spring and late summer.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

With the speeches done, Laney ran around distributing hugs and kisses, and soon everyone drifted back to the dining room table, taking another helping of food now that appetites had returned.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

Related Words

• administer
• allot
• apportion
• assign
• circulate
• disburse
• dispense
• disseminate
• donate
• give
• give away
• hand out
• issue
• present
• scatter
• share