apportion

[ uh-pawr-shuhn, uh-pohr- ]

verb (used with object)

1. to distribute or allocate proportionally; divide and assign according to some rule of proportional distribution:

   to apportion expenses among the three men.

apportion

/ əˈpɔːʃən /

verb

1. tr to divide, distribute, or assign appropriate shares of; allot proportionally

   to apportion the blame

Derived Forms

• apˈportionable, adjective
• apˈportioner, noun

Other Words From

• ap·portion·a·ble adjective
• ap·portion·er noun
• nonap·portion·a·ble adjective
• unap·portioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of apportion¹

1565–75; < Middle French apportionner, equivalent to ap- ap- ¹ + portionner to portion

Example Sentences

There were also arguments over which method was best for apportioning seats, as one method tended to put slightly more seats in less populous states and the other put more seats in more populous states.

From FiveThirtyEight

It’s currently unclear how power will be apportioned between the front and rear motors, or how electronic traction-management solutions will function.

From Outside Online

Cast a line for some famous Copper River Salmon, right from camp, at this small but well-apportioned campground near Wrangell-St.

From Outside Online

Bogard and other organizers took the rebellion as an opportunity to push the city for a massive investment in health care, education, and employment, and they called for residents themselves to have a say in how it was apportioned.

From Time

Yet in the larger scheme of things, apportioning responsibility for this latest conflagration, and understanding how and why it erupted, misses a more germane point.

From Time

Of course, we need to let the two armies investigate what exactly happened and apportion blame.

From The Daily Beast

Pundits love to apportion blame for partisan hostility equally to both sides.

From The Daily Beast

It takes time—sometimes a very long time—to apportion power among different groups within a nascent political system.

From The Daily Beast

A meeting of chiefs was held to apportion the work and divide the men into parties.

From Project Gutenberg

I noticed the manner in which thou didst apportion the pigeons, but said nothing; but the chicken, my dear sir!

From Project Gutenberg

But there are no fresh spoils to apportion, and the Over-Lord threatens to take the prize of one of his peers, even of Achilles.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Dillingham seemed to know exactly how to apportion the constantly arriving and departing guests.

From Project Gutenberg

On sledging journeys it is usual to apportion all food-stuffs in as nearly even halves as possible.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• administer
• allocate
• allot
• distribute
• divvy up