distribute

American  

[dih-strib-yoot] / dɪˈstrɪb jut /

verb (used with object)

• distributes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• distributed,
  past participle,  past
• distributing
  present participle

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

   Synonyms:

   apportion, mete, assign

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

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

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

5. to divide into distinct phases.

   The process was distributed into three stages.

6. to divide into classes.

   These plants are distributed into 22 classes.

   Synonyms:

   categorize, arrange, sort, classify

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

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

9. Printing.

   1. to roll out (ink) on the table to attain the proper consistency.

   2. to return (type) to the proper place after printing.

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distribute British  

/ dɪˈstrɪbjuːt /

verb

1. to give out in shares; dispense

2. to hand out or deliver

   to distribute handbills

3. (often passive) to spread throughout a space or area

   gulls are distributed along the west coast

4. (often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classify

   these books are distributed in four main categories

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

6. logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition

7. 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

8. obsolete to dispense (justice)

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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

• predistribute
  verb (used with object)
• distributable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• distributing
  present
• distributed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• distribute
  simple
• distributes
  simple
• have distributed
  perfect
• has distributed
  perfect
• am distributing
  progressive
• are distributing
  progressive
• is distributing
  progressive
• have been distributing
  perfect progressive
• has been distributing
  perfect progressive

Past

• distributed
  simple
• had distributed
  perfect
• was distributing
  progressive
• were distributing
  progressive
• had been distributing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will distribute
  simple
• will have distributed
  perfect
• will be distributing
  progressive
• will have been distributing
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

distribute distributes distributed distributing

Creators will then be able to distribute their games as standalone apps on mobile, PC, and consoles; an offline mode is also planned.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

In retrospect, these decisions to finance and distribute independent films make Disney’s InfinityVision look even sillier.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

Requirements include evacuation maps, public education, an approved response plan, and reliable ways to receive and distribute official alerts around the clock.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

A resident in the area, who asked not to be named, told the BBC a muck spreader, which are normally used to distribute farmyard manure, had been used to spread medical waste.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

It is not decipherable in the moment, but eventually it will offer a picture of what is happening inside the study subject’s brain as she’s asked to distribute her focus more widely.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Instead, the beneficiaries typically work directly with the IRA custodian, which transfers their respective shares into inherited IRAs or otherwise distributes the assets according to the applicable rules.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

He also makes children’s toys that he distributes to any children on the block or that he encounters out and about.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Thanks to the genius of a constitution that distributes power widely, the risk of tyrannous majority rule is limited.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Roku is an attractive asset because its smart TV platform distributes streaming services to more than 100 million households.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

A second representative distributes uniforms: white shirts, white shorts, white socks.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

"The British guests will be distributed throughout the State Rooms, except the Music Room and West Gallery, where they should be encouraged to talk to the Diplomats," the sheet reads.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Piper and Morse then distributed promising varieties to agricultural experiment stations around the country, where researchers determined which ones performed best under local conditions.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

That approach makes it possible to examine huge volumes of space and reconstruct a three-dimensional view of how matter is distributed across the Universe.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026

People also distributed hand-drawn maps for caravans to follow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

The Bureau of Nutrition Education has distributed endless flyers encouraging us to eat potato skins, drink skim milk, try cow brains.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

"By distributing it digitally through their own network and their own servers, they save a huge amount of margin."

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

In 2012, a Chinese company began distributing Limbach’s engines and then bought the German company outright in 2017, making it easier for Iran to import the engines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Muck-spreading is the process of distributing animal manure across farmland as a natural fertiliser and typically takes place twice a year, in spring and late summer.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Companies such as Northwestern Mutual, New York Life and MassMutual have been consistently distributing dividends to customers since the 1800s.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

"You're accused of distributing enemy propaganda. Do you have any idea what this means for you, distributing enemy propaganda?"

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• administer
• allot
• apportion
• assign
• circulate
• disburse
• dispense
• disseminate
• donate
• give
• give away
• hand out
• issue
• present
• scatter
• share