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

These multi-tasking marvels have found creative ways to juggle it all, to dole out love, and to pass their wisdom on to their children. —Rebecca Deurlein, Southern Living, 8 May 2025

Five years ago, builder Jared Brunk and his architecture partner and wife Shanna Yates doled out nearly $600,000 for a South Los Angeles parcel holding a traditional California bungalow dating back to the early 1900s. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 May 2025

Analysts are doling out praise after Microsoft ’s latest earnings report. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 1 May 2025

According to data collected by the fire district over the last fiscal year, the city doled out half a million dollars in these matching grants to fund home-hardening projects; homeowners spend four times that amount. —Calmatters, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dole out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout