dole out

verb

doled out; doling out; doles out

transitive verb

1

: to give or deliver in small portions

2

: dish out

Synonyms

• administer
• allocate
• apportion
• deal (out)
• dispense
• distribute
• hand out
• mete (out)
• parcel (out)
• portion
• prorate

Choose the Right Synonym for dole out

distribute, dispense, divide, deal, dole out mean to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group.

distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need.

dispensed wisdom to the students

divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Examples of dole out in a Sentence

she doles out office supplies as if she were paying for them out of her own pocket

Recent Examples on the Web

The festival offers hot slaw makers, both amateur and professional, the chance to face off in competition, as judges dip Ruffles potato chips and dole out bragging rights from outside the Bradley County Courthouse. —Emily Cochrane Audra Melton, New York Times, 18 May 2024

Michelin, the restaurant guide that doles out stars each year to arguably the world’s best restaurants, added five new additions to its recommendations today, May 7, including one in Orange County. —Brock Keeling, Orange County Register, 7 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1