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

If your party is potluck-y in nature, doling out dish assignments is easy. —Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 11 Feb. 2025

As always, her family was on hand to dole out support. —Nasha Smith, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025

What little remained would be doled out to favored nonprofits like World Vision to support their charitable work overseas. —Brady Anderson Special To The Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 6 Feb. 2025

Trump's pardons for Jan. 6 defendants irk law-and-order allies Presidents often wait until their last days in office to dole out controversial pardons. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1