dispense

American  

[dih-spens] / dɪˈspɛns /

verb (used with object)

dispensed, dispensing

1. to deal out; distribute.

   to dispense wisdom.

   Synonyms:

   dole, allot, apportion

2. to administer.

   to dispense the law without bias.

3. Pharmacology. to make up and distribute (medicine), especially on prescription.

4. Roman Catholic Church. to grant dispensation.

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verb (used without object)

dispensed, dispensing

1. to grant dispensation.

noun

1. Obsolete. expenditure.

verb phrase

1. dispense with

   1. to do without; forgo.

      to dispense with preliminaries.

   2. to do away with; rid of.

   3. to grant exemption from a law or promise.

dispense British  

/ dɪˈspɛns /

verb

1. (tr) to give out or issue in portions

2. (tr) to prepare and distribute (medicine), esp on prescription

3. (tr) to administer (the law, etc)

4. to do away (with) or manage (without)

5. to grant a dispensation to (someone) from (some obligation of church law)

6. to exempt or excuse from a rule or obligation

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Usage

Dispense with is sometimes wrongly used where dispose of is meant: this task can be disposed of (not dispensed with ) quickly and easily

Related Words

See distribute.

Other Word Forms

• undispensed adjective

Etymology

Origin of dispense

1275–1325; Middle English dispensen < Medieval Latin dispēnsāre to pardon, exempt, Latin: to pay out, distribute, equivalent to dis- dis- ¹ + pēnsāre, frequentative of pendere to weigh

Explanation

To dispense means to give out or distribute something. A school nurse can dispense students' medication and we all can dispense advice. The word dispense comes from the Old French word dispenser, meaning "give out." You can dispense anything from hand sanitizer to dating advice. When dispense is paired with with it means "get rid of it" or "skip." If you dispense with traditional Thanksgiving dishes, you might instead celebrate with pizza, pancakes, tacos — anything but turkey and all the fixings.

Example Sentences

When medication management cannot be handled with simple pill organizers, high-tech devices are available that dispense medications at preprogrammed times and alert caregivers or family members when a dose is missed.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

The FDA’s road to regulating compounding pharmacies — and by extension the peptides they seek to dispense — has been long and tedious.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Welcome to “Comedy & ‘Therapy,’ ” a monthly event at the cafe Coffee Confessionals, in which comedians on stage dispense advice to audience members in the crowd.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Japanese researchers have unveiled a robot monk powered by AI that they say can dispense spiritual advice, and which could one day ease shortages of its human counterparts.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Most academics can effortlessly dispense this kind of sludge, and many students, like Zonker Harris in this Doonesbury cartoon, acquire the skill without having to be taught.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• allocate
• allot
• disburse
• distribute
• furnish
• give away
• hand out