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)
-
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
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!
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:
During the trip, the ship deployed 26 "next generation" Starlink V3 satellites, joining the existing constellation which deliver broadband internet on Earth.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
The bank sits below consensus earnings estimates heading into the quarter, with its focus on the company’s ability to deliver the order backlog through the next two quarters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Deputies sought to deliver emergency aid until a medical team arrived and took him to a hospital.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
The whole college football world was watching, waiting to see if USC’s coach could deliver in the most critical of moments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Did the janitor just want him to stay here to deliver his message?
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
This process delivers nutrients while helping remove waste products and inflammatory signals.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
But if it delivers a wet punch, it will also bring an upside: a bonanza of water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
He almost never strikes out and rarely delivers hits that aren’t singles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The 81st High-Level Week brings together nearly 130 leaders under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.”
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Dr. Trefusis, who went to minister to Slant, delivers word from the sick-camp that one of the inmates of that place has refused food.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Southwest Airlines "is aware of the issue and is engaged with Boeing and the FAA," said a spokesperson for the carrier who added that all newly delivered planes have older software versions installed.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
It’s a victory that will change his life, and it has delivered a blast of fresh air for a sport that needed one, writes Jason Gay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
The NFL picked a mouth-watering match-up for Rio and it delivered, with the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys producing a thriller.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Nvidia’s stock is rising on Monday after the chip giant delivered a historic buyback announcement.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
It was like someone had delivered her a gift wrapped up neatly with a bow.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
The season premiere opened Saturday with Ramy Youssef reprising his role as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, delivering an update on the nor’easter battering the East Coast before James Austin Johnson’s Trump arrived unexpectedly.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
But even if there’s no hard camera footage of Kao giving Collins burlap sacks full of cash, there is undoubtedly a story that she got duped into delivering federal dollars to a scammer.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2026
The fight sequences have an engaging messiness, the characters often fumbling around rather than delivering expert moves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
U.S. money markets on Wednesday assigned a 53% chance of the Fed delivering another 25 basis-point rate increase in October.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Before long she was delivering so many babies that Audrey and I spent our days driving around the valley with her, watching her conduct prenatal exams and prescribe herbs.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
