deliver
Americanverb (used with object)
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to carry and turn over (letters, goods, etc.) to the intended recipient or recipients.
to deliver mail;
to deliver a package.
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to give into another's possession or keeping; surrender.
to deliver a prisoner to the police;
to deliver a bond.
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to bring (votes) to the support of a candidate or a cause.
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to give forth in words; utter or pronounce.
to deliver a verdict;
to deliver a speech.
- Synonyms:
- publish, proclaim, announce, communicate
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to give forth or emit.
The oil well delivers 500 barrels a day.
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to strike or throw.
to deliver a blow.
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to set free or liberate.
The Israelites were delivered from bondage.
- Synonyms:
- release, emancipate
- Antonyms:
- confine
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to release or save.
Deliver me from such tiresome people!
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to assist (a female) in bringing forth young.
The doctor delivered her of twins.
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to assist at the birth of.
The doctor delivered the baby.
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to give birth to.
She delivered twins at 4 a.m.
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to disburden (oneself ) of thoughts, opinions, etc.
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to make known; assert.
verb (used without object)
-
to give birth.
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to provide a delivery service for goods and products.
The store delivers free of charge.
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to do or carry out as promised.
an ad agency known for delivering when a successful campaign is needed.
adjective
verb
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to carry (goods, etc) to a destination, esp to carry and distribute (goods, mail, etc) to several places
to deliver letters
our local butcher delivers
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to hand over, transfer, or surrender
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(often foll by from) to release or rescue (from captivity, harm, corruption, etc)
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(also intr)
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to aid in the birth of (offspring)
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to give birth to (offspring)
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(usually foll by of) to aid or assist (a female) in the birth (of offspring)
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to give birth (to offspring)
-
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to utter or present (a speech, oration, idea, etc)
-
deliver the goods See deliver
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to utter (an exclamation, noise, etc)
to deliver a cry of exultation
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to discharge or release (something, such as a blow or shot) suddenly
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to cause (voters, constituencies, etc) to support a given candidate, cause, etc
can you deliver the Bronx?
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to speak with deliberation or at length
to deliver oneself of a speech
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informal to produce or perform something promised or expected
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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deliverabilitynoun
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deliverernoun
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misdeliververb (used with object)
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outdeliververb (used with object)
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predeliververb (used with object)
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deliverableadjective
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undeliveredadjective
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well-deliveredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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deliversimple
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deliverssimple
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have deliveredperfect
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has deliveredperfect
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am deliveringprogressive
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are deliveringprogressive
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is deliveringprogressive
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have been deliveringperfect progressive
-
has been deliveringperfect progressive
Past
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deliveredsimple
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had deliveredperfect
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was deliveringprogressive
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were deliveringprogressive
-
had been deliveringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of deliver
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English delivren, from Old French delivrer, from Late Latin dēlīberāre “to set free,” from dē- de- + līberāre “to free” ( see liberate)
Explanation
Whether you deliver a package, a baby, or a promise, you're bringing or carrying out something that was expected. The Post Office and UPS deliver packages, but a doctor helps deliver a baby: in that case, the doctor is helping the baby get born safely. If you promise to get an A and then you do, you delivered on your promise. Religious people ask God to deliver them from sin. Politicians often have to deliver — meaning give — speeches. In just about every case, deliver refers to something positive that's being moved, fulfilled, rescued, or carried out.
Vocabulary lists containing deliver
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
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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:
He added that it promises to “create thousands of jobs, lower electricity costs for American families, and deliver energy infrastructure needed to power the AI economy.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Chief executive Pascal Soriot said the company was "on track" to deliver its ambition of $80 billion in total revenue by 2030, despite an unexpected late-stage trial failure earlier this month.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Especially if you are meant to be the value fashion retailer in the UK, you have to deliver on that promise."
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
During a gala Friday celebrating press freedom, President Trump finally got to deliver the biting speech he had long teased.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Armies still relied on signal lamps and carrier pigeons to deliver messages that could mean the difference between life and death.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
The company operates Starlink, a low-Earth orbit satellite constellation that delivers high-speed broadband internet worldwide.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The attacks have disrupted flows through a pipeline that delivers Russian and Kazakh oil to the Black Sea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Wing shape delivers an equivalent contribution in terms of fuel-burn reduction.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
The decision delivers a sharp temporary blow to both media giants as they seek to navigate an increasingly tough streaming landscape.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
He writes down the number of telegrams he delivers and how far he travels.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
It delivered 727,245 Audi-branded vehicles in the first six months of the year, down 7.2% on year, mainly due to continuing competitive challenges in China and U.S. tariffs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
After arriving in Downing Street on Monday, Burnham delivered a speech without notes and without the traditional lecturn, symbolising the more relaxed image he cultivated over nine years as Manchester mayor.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Most of Beltrán’s induction speech at the National Baseball Hall of Fame was in English, but he delivered part of it in Spanish to address his parents, Wilfredo and Carmen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Through drought and earthquake, and from horse-drawn wagons to driverless cars, they have delivered.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
It was like someone had delivered her a gift wrapped up neatly with a bow.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
"People have got used to us delivering with a high success rate but we have to accept we will fail from time to time," Soriot said on a media call Monday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
She added: "I will be delivering in government again."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The board will study standardized testing first, delivering a report to the council by Feb. 12, 2027, the council announced.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The division is delivering 112% of the company’s overall operating profit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The boys worked as neighborhood postmen, delivering draft notices and monthly ration cards.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions 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.
