DEAL Synonyms: 339 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'deal' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deal are dispense , distribute , divide , and dole out . While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece. // deal out equipment and supplies

Q: When could 'dispense' be used to replace 'deal'?

In some situations, the words dispense and deal are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Q: When is 'distribute' a more appropriate choice than 'deal'?

Although the words distribute and deal have much in common, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts. // distributed food to the needy

Q: When can 'divide' be used instead of 'deal'?

The words divide and deal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal. // three charitable groups divided the proceeds

Q: When is it sensible to use 'dole out' instead of 'deal'?

The synonyms dole out and deal are sometimes interchangeable, but dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply. // doled out what little food there was

deal 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of deal next

as in ton

a considerable amount there is a great deal of waste in government

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in agreement

an arrangement about action to be taken we made a deal to cooperate on the next assignment

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as in sale

the transfer of ownership of something from one person to another for a price we closed the deal for the house last week

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as in contract

a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation if the other party backs out of the deal after it's signed, you can sue

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as in situation

position with regard to conditions and circumstances we don't yet know what the deal is with the new manager

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as in bargain

something bought or offered for sale at a desirable price that mail-order sweater isn't such a great deal after you factor in the cost of shipping and handling

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

3 of 3

verb

ˈdēl

as in to trade

to carry on the business of buying and selling goods or other property that store deals in used furniture

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to negotiate

to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase you're going to have to learn how to deal if you want to buy a car at a fair price

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deal are dispense, distribute, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

When could dispense be used to replace deal?

In some situations, the words dispense and deal are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is distribute a more appropriate choice than deal?

Although the words distribute and deal have much in common, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When can divide be used instead of deal?

The words divide and deal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When is it sensible to use dole out instead of deal?

The synonyms dole out and deal are sometimes interchangeable, but dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Examples of deal in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The flannel shirt with the bold red-and-black pattern in your closet can be used as your ticket to deals this Halloween holiday. —

Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024 The suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that CBS hasn’t held up its end of a contract to distribute the two shows to local TV stations in the United States and entered into unauthorized distribution deals overseas. —

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024

Verb

To soften the blow, the city will deal out up to $15 million annually to small businesses and the personal property tax exemption for smaller companies will go from $10,000 to $30,000. —

Mike Deehan, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024 Following up from its earlier MIPCOM deal for Paris Has Fallen, the Disney streamer swooped to buy rights to the Matchbox Pictures psychological crime drama from All3Media International and will debut all six episodes later this year. —

Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deal

Verb

Chief executive officer Kentaro Okuda and other top managers agreed on Thursday to take a pay cut after the firm admitted an employee manipulated the bond market, prompting several firms to stop trading with the brokerage.

Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Asia, 1 Nov. 2024
This worked great until supply overwhelmed demand and the product started trading at a discount to NAV in secondary markets for years.

Alexander S. Blume, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Definition of trade

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Style

“Deal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deal. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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Last Updated: 6 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of deal

noun (1)

noun (2)

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Examples of deal in a Sentence

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