distribute
Americanverb (used with object)
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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:
Near one corner of the site, volunteers distribute meals.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Those with aggregate balances of more than $20 million could have to distribute as much as the entire excess balance from their Roth IRAs and the Roth portion of their defined-contribution plans.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
For example, the simulations did not account for cartilage, the flexible tissue that cushions joints and can help absorb and distribute stress.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
It will also have exclusive rights to produce and distribute Sapporo Premium Beer across these markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Papa, wearing a long, gray robe like the rest of the oblates, helped distribute ash every year.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Loper Bright distributes it across hundreds of judges—urban and rural, coastal and inland, appointed by presidents and Senates of both parties—deciding thousands of cases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
The stuntmen are presumably here because their parent company, Thrill Sports, also distributes Power Slap, Dana White’s passion project.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
The firm has similar restrictions for all IPO shares it distributes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
The city typically mails out more than 22,000 copies to residents and distributes about 2,000 copies at city facilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Rather than use logos—detailed arguments and eye-glazing statistics about the ways in which the charity achieves the greatest good, distributes its funds, and so on—the ad shoots straight for the heart.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
"They can't pack tightly and aggregate, so they stay evenly distributed in the sunscreen."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
The shredded iceberg product was distributed across 27 states between June 29 and July 16.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
These supplies are supposed to last the month and were part of some 25 tons distributed among 498 families in one day.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Food safety experts said that Taylor’s market dominance means many large restaurant chains rely heavily on the company, with produce from a single processing facility often distributed to customers in multiple states.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
At the one extreme, Mandarin and its relatives, which constitute the Chinese subfamily of the Sino-Tibetan language family, are distributed continuously from North to South China.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
The theme park has made outreach into the neighborhood over the years in an attempt to assuage concerns, be it distributing fliers or attending community meetings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Venezuelan and foreign volunteers are providing medical care in tents set up in open areas and distributing food.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
He argued that distributing power across the country would "give Britain the circuit-breaker it needs".
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Now two veterans of those big labs are wagering they can outflank their former employers by making and distributing AI that accelerates AI research for everyone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
With the speeches done, Laney ran around distributing hugs and kisses, and soon everyone drifted back to the dining room table, taking another helping of food now that appetites had returned.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
