disbursement

American  

[dis-burs-muhnt] / dɪsˈbɜrs mənt /

noun

disbursements plural

1. the act or an instance of disbursing.

2. money paid out or spent.

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Usage

What does disbursement mean? Disbursement is the act of paying out money, or the payment itself. Because the meaning of disbursement focuses on money and payment, the word is almost exclusively used in financial and business spheres—especially when the exchange of money is formal. Example: The disbursement of paychecks was delayed due to a clerical error, causing much grumbling among the staff.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondisbursement
  noun
• redisbursement
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• disbursements
  plural

Etymology

Origin of disbursement

From the Middle French word desboursement, dating back to 1590–1600. See disburse, -ment

Explanation

Disbursement means the payment of money from a fund or account. If the disbursement of paychecks at your job was delayed because your boss forgot to fill out some paperwork, you'd probably be furious. Disbursement is a noun that describes the spending or distributing of money. Governments manage the disbursement of funds to various departments and groups. The word disbursement comes from the Old French word desbourser, "extract money from a purse," with bourse meaning "purse." Don't confuse disbursement with dispersement, which means "separating or scattering."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disbursement disbursements

“We are in direct communication with members, encouraging them to review their policies, staffing, inspection practices, borrower communications, disbursement timelines and determination processes, and escalation procedures,” Gigliotti said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

After the appeal was rejected, Carroll’s lawyers asked the district court to order the immediate disbursement of $5 million in damages, and nearly $800,000 in interest that had accrued since the verdict.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

This makes it difficult to calculate how much each World Cup player is getting paid during the tournament, as the exact disbursement breakdown for all 48 soccer federations is not fully known.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 12, 2026

A House disbursement report shows Suozzi paying $800 per month for lodging starting in March 2024.

From Salon ● May 29, 2026

It shall not receive moneys which are contributed upon terms which interfere in any way with its freedom of action as to their disbursement.

From Socialism and Democracy in Europe by Orth, Samuel P.

Outside of monetary policy, inflation impacts mortgage rates for homeowners, eligibility for school lunch subsidies, Social Security disbursements, and more.

From Slate ● Apr. 24, 2026

In some cases this will involve adjusting existing loan programs, including by accelerating disbursements or providing additional financing.

From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026

This is unprecedented—and different from the administration’s moves to pause grant disbursements to high-fraud states.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

But with the federal shutdown blocking upcoming disbursements of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — previously known as food stamps — Thompson said she doesn’t know how she’s going to fill her daughter’s bottles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

The total net disbursements of the National Committee during the strike period were $452,563.06, or $1.81 for each of the 250,000 average strikers.

From The Great Steel Strike and its Lessons by Foster, William Z.

Related Words

• expenditure
• outlay
• spending