deliver
Americanverb (used with object)
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delivers,
present (3rd person singular)
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delivered,
past participle, past
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delivering
present participle
-
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.
-
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)
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delivers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
delivered,
past participle, past
-
delivering
present participle
-
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)
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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:
One approach is to send health workers directly into schools to deliver personalised health plans.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The second-quarter performance confirmed “what businesses have told us,” said Bank of Canada Gov. Tiff Macklem, according to prepared remarks he is set to deliver at a press conference.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
“We don’t think that just locking up your forest and making a tree museum long-term will deliver biodiversity, carbon, recreation — all these things,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
And after making such a strong commitment on change, Swinney will be judged on whether he can deliver.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
She is given an address and told to deliver her findings there.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
He bestows on his characters arias, and Daniel’s cast delivers them as though the words were expressly made for these particular actors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
On Monday, the NPS said that preliminary assessments indicated about 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, which delivers water for visitors and approximately 2,500 residents, was damaged or destroyed in the flood.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Tom Nolan writes that Jurica Pavičić delivers a “police procedural with benefits” that takes on “issues of free will and fate” in a story of “consumerist glamour and moral decay.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
September historically delivers the worst average return of any month for the S&P 500 since 1928, with a decline of 1.1%, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
The imam delivers the weekly Friday sermon, speaks every Sunday, and gives lectures regularly.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
The NBA on Wednesday delivered one of the harshest penalties in league history to the Los Angeles Clippers, owned by Steve Ballmer, for what it called a “flagrant violation” of its salary-cap rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
This year the basket of negative-beta stocks has delivered results in line with the tech-charged S&P 500.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
She said, however, that though her union remains committed to negotiations, they "must see urgent resolution which leads to tangible change in schools and classrooms, and we must see such change delivered now".
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
The programs varied widely in how they were delivered.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
“The paprika can be delivered last,” she thought.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
He had a complex partial seizure while delivering an on-camera speech on the House floor last year, stopping midsentence before continuing to speak in a slow and halting voice for more than 30 seconds.
From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026
Downing Street does not want to give too much away but we know he will meet his cabinet before delivering a statement "setting out the direction of his government" and facing questions from MPs.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
But the rally is just beginning, according to Bank of America analyst Tal Liani, who believes the company’s AI strategy is increasingly resembling a full-stack portfolio that’s delivering impressive economics.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The company is spending more than $2 billion at Cape Station and expects to start delivering power to the grid later this year for the first phase of the project.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
So before delivering the ultimatum, Austria obtained a pledge of support from its ally, Germany, in the event of a war.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
