dispenser
Americannoun
-
dispensers
plural
-
a person or thing that dispenses.
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a container, package, device, or vending machine for holding and dispensing something in small amounts, as facial tissue, paper cups, or candy.
noun
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a device, such as a vending machine, that automatically dispenses a single item or a measured quantity
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a person or thing that dispenses
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dispenser
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at dispense, -er 1
Compare meaning
How does dispenser compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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 company that owns the vending machine, iJooz, says it replaced all 500 straws in the machine's dispenser after the alleged incident.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
I can’t count how many times during my stays a dispenser didn’t work or had little left in it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
It felt like a piece of my childhood died along with the actor who played Dawson Leery, but it wasn’t just a parasocial relationship that had me weeping next to the soap dispenser.
From Slate ● Feb. 19, 2026
As the baseball world shut down, Call bought a portable Junior Hack Attack hitting machine with a self-feeding ball dispenser.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
He pointed out the sugar dispenser and apologized to them for the fact that there was no way to make cream available: Petersen’s had run out.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
They also reportedly have dispensers for chaff -- metal shavings that distract radar-guided missiles -- and flares that blind heat-seeking missiles.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
I didn’t expect Vinod Khosla to get excited about the paper towel dispensers in his office bathrooms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
George Washington and other Founding Fathers graced Pez dispensers, coasters and the cover of Mad Magazine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Rinse aid dispensers are also worth considering, explains Andrew.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
Not like the actual candy, but more the little dispensers that come with the candy.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
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