mete out
phrasal verb
meted out; meting out; metes out
: to give (something) to the people who one decides should get it : to give out or distribute (something)
We're trying to be fair in meting out rewards and punishments.
—usually used to refer to something unpleasant (such as punishment)Huge fines were meted out as punishment.
The king meted out justice as he saw fit.
Examples of mete out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The fund—meted out through Google.org, the company’s philanthropic arm—aims to make AI training more accessible across the globe, namely in underserved communities and those working in nonprofits or small businesses.
—
Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
Often, the reprisals would be meted out on prisoners of war, who were near at hand and could easily be killed.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
While investors were first promised their full allocation prior to launch, it would now be meted out in increments every Monday over a period of eight weeks.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
The sentence was also meted out Tuesday, according to the corps.
—Bill Feather, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
For many young Russians, dreams of democracy died with Alexei Navalny
Orlov’s sentencing is the latest example of Russian authorities meting out harsher sentences to those who appeal their charges.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024
Prospective customers commonly report being told by sales associates, who are said to have broad authority over how coveted bags are meted out after arriving in stores, that priority for scarce products goes to loyal customers.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
For nearly two decades, a loose band of sheriff’s deputies roamed impoverished neighborhoods across a central Mississippi county, meting out their own version of justice.
—Nate Rosenfield Rory Doyle For The New York Times, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Her avidity added some dimension to Gold’s vision of a world in which justice is meted out to those who speak most eloquently and power redounds to those who are already powerful.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
Often, the reprisals would be meted out on prisoners of war, who were near at hand and could easily be killed.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
While investors were first promised their full allocation prior to launch, it would now be meted out in increments every Monday over a period of eight weeks.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024
The sentence was also meted out Tuesday, according to the corps.
—Bill Feather, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
For many young Russians, dreams of democracy died with Alexei Navalny
Orlov’s sentencing is the latest example of Russian authorities meting out harsher sentences to those who appeal their charges.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024
Prospective customers commonly report being told by sales associates, who are said to have broad authority over how coveted bags are meted out after arriving in stores, that priority for scarce products goes to loyal customers.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
For nearly two decades, a loose band of sheriff’s deputies roamed impoverished neighborhoods across a central Mississippi county, meting out their own version of justice.
—Nate Rosenfield Rory Doyle For The New York Times, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Her avidity added some dimension to Gold’s vision of a world in which justice is meted out to those who speak most eloquently and power redounds to those who are already powerful.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mete out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mete out
Cite this Entry
“Mete out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mete%20out. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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