distribute
Americanverb (used with object)
-
distributes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
distributed,
past participle, past
-
distributing
present participle
-
to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.
-
to disperse through a space or over an area; spread; scatter.
-
to promote, sell, and ship or deliver (an item or line of merchandise) to individual customers, especially in a specified region or area.
-
to pass out or deliver (mail, newspapers, etc.) to intended recipients.
-
to divide into distinct phases.
The process was distributed into three stages.
-
to divide into classes.
These plants are distributed into 22 classes.
- Synonyms:
- categorize, arrange, sort, classify
-
Logic. to employ (a term) in a proposition so as to refer to all individuals denoted by the term.
-
Physical Chemistry. to dissolve uniformly in a solvent consisting of layers of immiscible or partially miscible substances.
-
Printing.
-
to roll out (ink) on the table to attain the proper consistency.
-
to return (type) to the proper place after printing.
-
verb
-
to give out in shares; dispense
-
to hand out or deliver
to distribute handbills
-
(often passive) to spread throughout a space or area
gulls are distributed along the west coast
-
(often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classify
these books are distributed in four main categories
-
printing to return (used type) to the correct positions in the type case
-
logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition
-
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
-
obsolete to dispense (justice)
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
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
distributesimple
-
distributessimple
-
have distributedperfect
-
has distributedperfect
-
am distributingprogressive
-
are distributingprogressive
-
is distributingprogressive
-
have been distributingperfect progressive
-
has been distributingperfect progressive
Past
-
distributedsimple
-
had distributedperfect
-
was distributingprogressive
-
were distributingprogressive
-
had been distributingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing distribute
Charlotte's Web
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Workshop 1, Part 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Essential English Vocabulary, List 6
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There was a shared media pool working together to distribute the best video and images.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
However, those recommendations do not require people to distribute their activity evenly across the seven days.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Samsung averted a strike in South Korea earlier this year by agreeing to a deal to distribute bonuses equivalent to 10.5 percent of operating profit to its semiconductor employees.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
An athletic department can now distribute $21.6 million to athletes across all of its sports, adjusted up slightly each year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
It is not decipherable in the moment, but eventually it will offer a picture of what is happening inside the study subject’s brain as she’s asked to distribute her focus more widely.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Rende's company in North Jackson, Ohio, makes and distributes aluminum building products used in fixtures like fences.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
To juice demand, the company distributes free bats, as well as other gear, to select travel players—known as the Rawlings Army and the Easton Army—as young as 9.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
But he is also outstanding with the ball because he distributes it quickly and always chooses the right route.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
He also makes children’s toys that he distributes to any children on the block or that he encounters out and about.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Rather than use logos—detailed arguments and eye-glazing statistics about the ways in which the charity achieves the greatest good, distributes its funds, and so on—the ad shoots straight for the heart.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
“Growth across the globe is distributed unevenly,” said German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Strong lensing is especially useful for measuring the mass concentrated near a cluster's center, while weak lensing can reveal how matter is distributed across its outer regions.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
The SPS said there were no prisoner requests for bottled water overnight on Friday but supplies were distributed.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Long Beach has already distributed more than 7,500 sandbags as residents prepare for what could be a very trying weekend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
At eight years old, Timmy had distributed illegal communist leaflets in tsarist Russia; as a teen, he survived being executed by firing squad by playing dead on the ground for two days.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
The music group also said it notified the defendants on Aug. 17 of “the material musical similarities” but that the defendants “continued reproducing, distributing, licensing, publicly performing and commercially exploiting” Dean’s “I’ve Seen It.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
Batteries near population centers relieve congestion on the grid during high demand by distributing power directly to the surrounding area.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
"That is materially different from distributing critical literature outside the headquarters of a public broadcaster."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The United Nations launched a "loss and damage" fund in 2025 to aid the impacts of climate change, though it has not yet begun distributing its limited cash.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Two nights ago after dark, a group of young men had run through Santiago, distributing leaflets under doors, urging an uprising.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
