deliver
Americanverb (used with object)
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delivers,
present (3rd person singular)
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delivered,
past participle, past
-
delivering
present participle
-
to carry and turn over (letters, goods, etc.) to the intended recipient or recipients.
to deliver mail;
to deliver a package.
-
to give into another's possession or keeping; surrender.
to deliver a prisoner to the police;
to deliver a bond.
-
to bring (votes) to the support of a candidate or a cause.
-
to give forth in words; utter or pronounce.
to deliver a verdict;
to deliver a speech.
- Synonyms:
- publish, proclaim, announce, communicate
-
to give forth or emit.
The oil well delivers 500 barrels a day.
-
to strike or throw.
to deliver a blow.
-
to set free or liberate.
The Israelites were delivered from bondage.
- Synonyms:
- release, emancipate
- Antonyms:
- confine
-
to release or save.
Deliver me from such tiresome people!
-
to assist (a female) in bringing forth young.
The doctor delivered her of twins.
-
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.
-
to make known; assert.
verb (used without object)
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delivers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
delivered,
past participle, past
-
delivering
present participle
-
to give birth.
-
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)
-
(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
-
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
-
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
-
have been deliveringperfect progressive
-
has been deliveringperfect progressive
Past
-
deliveredsimple
-
had deliveredperfect
-
was deliveringprogressive
-
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:
"The nursing workforce needed to deliver these services goes into winter already running on empty and short of staff," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Fox’s acquisition gives the media titan a way to deliver its programming directly to views, a huge plus for its Sunday NFL games.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Taken together, the companies’ models help deliver more American-made AI options—though it’s too soon to tell if they will entice developers away from cheaper open models from China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
It is historically a time for closing arguments, when politicians deliver their final pitches to voters in neat, disciplined packages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
“My mama wanted me to deliver this to you. She said to take one spoonful in the morning, but no more.”
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
It delivers specialized molecules known as effectors into cells in the leaves and stems.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
The author is a first-rate storyteller, and here he delivers something we don’t get much of these days: fun—a modern Horatio Alger story unattached to the politics of outrage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"It's crucial that the first phase of our talks under the Trade and Investment Consultations delivers tangible outcomes," Sefcovic said on X, posting a photo together with Wang.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The system uses a cooling tank and pump, usually situated in the car's nose, that delivers a cooled liquid, such as glycol, through a system of pipes in a fireproof top worn under their overalls.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
She doesn’t look sad anymore as she walks to the front of the room and, with a toss of her hair, delivers an energetic presentation about Amelia Earhart.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
He requested audiovisual materials from Paramount, and Paramount delivered them.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
But in past years, former popes John Paul II and Francis similarly hospitalised at the Gemelli have delivered the prayer from the window of their hospital rooms.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
"Our research shows that sex work liaison officers can make a real difference to safety and access to justice, but only when they are designed and delivered in the right way," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
They need the version of him that delivered the perfect game a year ago, his three-home-run, 10-strikeout masterpiece that sent Milwaukee home in Game 4 of the NLCS.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
It was Rolf van Vliet, the officer who had been here when our ration cards were first delivered.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The work has brought the observatory's powerful instruments into exceptionally sharp focus, with its main camera system now delivering image quality nearly 30% better than predicted.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Salazar’s attorney indicated that length wasn’t especially relevant and shifted the conversation to the business and profit motive of delivering videos, but Barrett was skeptical.
From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026
In the Permian Basin in West Texas, on any given day, 500 to 600 trucks are deployed delivering frack sand for Detmar Logistics, which operates 24 hours-a-day, 365 days a year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
She encouraged residents to take care of their neighbors during increased raid activity by offering rides to those afraid to drive or use public transit, delivering groceries or walking their neighbors’ children to school.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
I give up chasing these thoughts when the human comes, delivering a fresh pile of—oh, this meat is spicy!
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
