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)
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delivered,
past participle, past
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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
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!
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:
But you had better be able to adapt in a shifting employment landscape, one in which corporate executives might be under more pressure than ever to deliver.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
Management must also deliver sustained performance improvement under the transformation plan to give investors total confidence before tapping capital markets, Dacus added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Asked by a reporter about Musk's allegations, Akash declined to comment and only said, "We want to be heads down and deliver value to our Indian consumers."
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The need to broadcast the comedian’s material becomes larger than what the artist alone can deliver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
This was why Bobby wanted to meet, to deliver a private message about the American missiles in Turkey.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
"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
As Jordan, Rock delivers an insult comedy act about everything wrong with the town, including studio executives who insist he shoot Vancouver for Detroit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
The second particle delivers DNA containing the instructions for producing the cancer-fighting CAR.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
There’s the Shock Wave—Scoob has no idea what Gs are, but the ride promises five-point-nine of them, and based on how his heart flip-flops around inside his body, he’d say it delivers.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
The German luxury sports-car maker said Friday that it delivered 178,532 cars, down from 212,509 in the prior year period.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Zelf Hussain, joint administrator and partner at PwC, said the deal protected hundreds of jobs and delivered the best outcome for creditors.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
In a sermon delivered in Italian on Thursday at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the pope suggested machines lack a soul, saying they merely "compile data" quickly.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The new hour filmed in Washington, D.C., delivers surgically precise, dryly delivered jokes and personal stories about America falling apart from the heart of our nation’s capital.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
During the last week, workers delivered many long, thick wooden planks.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
“Paying MA plans more is likely an inefficient way of delivering better benefits to beneficiaries,” Fiedler said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
"We are delivering the biggest reforms to policing in over 200 years, alongside record funding to protect Muslim and Jewish people and places of worship," she added.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The approach could potentially preserve joint tissue while delivering sustained pain relief without relying on addictive opioids.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
The UK government pledged to continue delivering "vital services" in Jerusalem, saying the consulate general building would remain open and would "be known as the UK Mission, Jerusalem".
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Miss Meg March, one letter and a glove,” continued Beth, delivering the articles to her sister, who sat near her mother, stitching wristbands.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
