distribute

[ dih-strib-yoot ]

/ dɪˈstrɪb yut /

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See synonyms for: distribute / distributed / distributes / distributing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·trib·ut·ed, dis·trib·ut·ing.

to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.

to disperse through a space or over an area; spread; scatter.

to promote, sell, and ship or deliver (an item or line of merchandise) to individual customers, especially in a specified region or area.

to pass out or deliver (mail, newspapers, etc.) to intended recipients.

to divide into distinct phases: The process was distributed into three stages.

to divide into classes: These plants are distributed into 22 classes.

Logic. to employ (a term) in a proposition so as to refer to all individuals denoted by the term.

Physical Chemistry. to dissolve uniformly in a solvent consisting of layers of immiscible or partially miscible substances.

Printing.

to roll out (ink) on the table to attain the proper consistency.
to return (type) to the proper place after printing.

OTHER WORDS FOR distribute

1 assign, mete, apportion.

6 classify, sort, arrange, categorize.

See synonyms for distribute on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of distribute

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin distribūtus, past participle of distribuere “to divide up”; see dis-¹, tribute

synonym study for distribute

1. Distribute, dispense apply to giving out something. Distribute implies apportioned, individualized giving, especially of something that is definite or limited in amount or number: The prizes were distributed among ten winners. Dispense formerly implied indiscriminate, general, and liberal giving, especially of something that was more or less indefinite or unmeasured in amount: to dispense largess. It now applies chiefly to giving according to need or deserts, from an organized and official source: to dispense medicines and food to the victims.

OTHER WORDS FROM distribute

dis·trib·ut·a·ble, adjectivepre·dis·trib·ute, verb (used with object), pre·dis·trib·ut·ed, pre·dis·trib·ut·ing.

Words nearby distribute

distress gun, distress merchandise, distress sale, distress signal, distributary, distribute, distributed, distributed array processor, distributed data processing, distributed logic, distributed practice

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use distribute in a sentence

Biden also called for any potential vaccine to be equitably distributed.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump|Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
Today, StarTech’s being managed a lot more conservatively than in 2015, as shown by the share of earnings it’s distributing instead of re-investing.
Will tech stocks stumble or slide? What the fundamentals tell us|Shawn Tully|September 16, 2020|Fortune
This lightweight vest is made from comfy neoprene material and has an ergonomic design, so the weights are distributed equally.
The best weighted vests for your next tough workout|PopSci Commerce Team|September 16, 2020|Popular-Science
States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing.
U.S. outlines sweeping plan to provide free COVID-19 vaccines|Rachel Schallom|September 16, 2020|Fortune

“Claims of having a vaccine ready to distribute before you do testing, I think, is problematic, at best,” Fauci said.
China’s controversial emergency-use program for COVID vaccines is going global|Grady McGregor|September 16, 2020|Fortune
Surenos are told when to workout, who to associate with and how to distribute any funds they make from illegal activity.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pinch it with your fingers until it makes large crumbles and distribute it on the berries (it will not cover them entirely).
The Barefoot Contessa Knows How To Make Us Crumble|Ina Garten|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To be sure, it had plenty of big newspaper plants, but could we bring our papers back to Baltimore in time to distribute them?
The Stacks: H.L. Mencken on the 1904 Baltimore Fire|H.L. Mencken|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rather than focus on building large centralized plants, why not distribute solar power across a bunch of rooftops?
Panel Discussion|The Daily Beast|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He blanched when it came time to plunge, invest the money, press, and distribute.
The Stacks: How Leonard Chess Helped Make Muddy Waters|Alex Belth|August 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the time when thou shalt end the days of thy life, and in the time of thy decease, distribute thy inheritance.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
To the greatest extent of the capacities of all, it is dutiful for them to obtain and distribute copies of the blessed word.
The Ordinance of Covenanting|John Cunningham
It would endanger me to distribute such a fiery appeal, my friend remonstrated.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
You would like us to print the Testament of Jean Meslier and distribute four or five thousand copies.
Superstition In All Ages (1732)|Jean Meslier
Even we publishers have our ideals—and our purest is to distribute through the world the works of a man of genius.
Jaffery|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for distribute

distribute

/ (dɪˈstrɪbjuːt) /

verb (tr)

to give out in shares; dispense

to hand out or deliverto distribute handbills

(often passive) to spread throughout a space or areagulls are distributed along the west coast

(often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classifythese books are distributed in four main categories

printing to return (used type) to the correct positions in the type case

logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition

maths logic to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in a (b + c) yields ab + ac

obsolete to dispense (justice)

Derived forms of distribute

distributable, adjective

Word Origin for distribute

C15: from Latin distribuere from dis- 1 + tribuere to give

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

distribute

OTHER WORDS FOR distribute

Origin of distribute

synonym study for distribute

OTHER WORDS FROM distribute

Words nearby distribute

Words related to distribute

How to use distribute in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for distribute

Derived forms of distribute

Word Origin for distribute