distribute
Americanverb (used with object)
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distributes,
present (3rd person singular)
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distributed,
past participle, past
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distributing
present participle
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to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.
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to disperse through a space or over an area; spread; scatter.
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to promote, sell, and ship or deliver (an item or line of merchandise) to individual customers, especially in a specified region or area.
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to pass out or deliver (mail, newspapers, etc.) to intended recipients.
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to divide into distinct phases.
The process was distributed into three stages.
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to divide into classes.
These plants are distributed into 22 classes.
- Synonyms:
- categorize, arrange, sort, classify
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Logic. to employ (a term) in a proposition so as to refer to all individuals denoted by the term.
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Physical Chemistry. to dissolve uniformly in a solvent consisting of layers of immiscible or partially miscible substances.
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Printing.
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to roll out (ink) on the table to attain the proper consistency.
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to return (type) to the proper place after printing.
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verb
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to give out in shares; dispense
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to hand out or deliver
to distribute handbills
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(often passive) to spread throughout a space or area
gulls are distributed along the west coast
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(often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classify
these books are distributed in four main categories
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printing to return (used type) to the correct positions in the type case
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logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition
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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
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obsolete to dispense (justice)
Synonym Usage
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 largesse. 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 Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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distributesimple
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distributessimple
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have distributedperfect
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has distributedperfect
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am distributingprogressive
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are distributingprogressive
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is distributingprogressive
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have been distributingperfect progressive
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has been distributingperfect progressive
Past
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distributedsimple
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had distributedperfect
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was distributingprogressive
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were distributingprogressive
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had been distributingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
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
Explanation
To distribute is to disperse widely, hand out, or spread around. While you're still snoozing, the paper boy is busy distributing the newspaper all over the neighborhood. This verb was first recorded in the early 15th century and has its roots in the Latin distributus, meaning “to divide.” Think of dividing up the last cookies in the cookie jar and passing them out to all your friends. Distribute can also mean to space out or arrange in a particular order — you'd want to distribute the chairs in even lines across the floor when setting up for a concert, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing distribute
Charlotte's Web
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 6
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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:
Despite its remarkable length and extensive reach, the neuron does not distribute norepinephrine throughout the entire brain.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Why distribute and disinfect pagers when customers already had phones in their pockets?
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
In March 2025, both companies signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink equipment and services in India, subject to government approval.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Samsung averted a strike in South Korea earlier this year by agreeing to a deal to distribute bonuses equivalent to 10.5 percent of operating profit to its semiconductor employees.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Clapp to distribute “charities from the unknown to the unknown.”
From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy
Rende's company in North Jackson, Ohio, makes and distributes aluminum building products used in fixtures like fences.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
But he is also outstanding with the ball because he distributes it quickly and always chooses the right route.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
A special-needs trust or spendthrift trust distributes funds based on need.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Girard eventually connected with Jim Law, and together they co-founded Advanced Biotechnologies, the company that manufactures and distributes the BioCharger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
He handed something to me—handed it to me as impersonally as the average waiter distributes menus.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
Investigators said at the time that more than 25 songs had been played or distributed online without permission from Eminem or the group that owns his music, Capitol Labels Group.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
I was able to replenish the funds distributed from my retirement plan on a pretax basis, in addition to making my regular contributions.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Today, the world is moving from a century-old model of centralized power to a new architecture that includes firm, distributed onsite generation. Bloom is leading that transformation,” Chief Executive Officer KR Sridhar said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
The discovery raises new questions about how heat is distributed inside Earth and how tectonic plates behave as they descend.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
A false rumour that the whole household was being distributed free spread like wildfire; and before long the place was packed with people who had no business there, but could not be kept out.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is typically known for distributing re-releases, concert films and live events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
In early 2024, Spotify renewed the partnership but began distributing the show across podcast platforms, including YouTube.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
"That is materially different from distributing critical literature outside the headquarters of a public broadcaster."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The pressure would fall first on model developers and the companies financing and distributing their products.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Fewer people were waiting on the food line, but fewer people were distributing the food as well.
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
