disburse

verb

dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs 

disbursed; disbursing

transitive verb

1

a

: to pay out : expend especially from a fund

disburse money

b

: to make a payment in settlement of

disburse a bill

2

: distribute

disburser noun

Synonyms

• pay
• spend
• give

Examples of disburse in a Sentence

The money will be disbursed on the basis of need.

The government has disbursed millions of dollars in foreign aid.

Recent Examples on the Web

More than $250,000 has been disbursed to 800-plus antifascists from 26 countries since the bail fund’s establishment in 2015. —Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025

Once federal student aid is approved, the Department of Education disburses the money to the school, which deducts the tuition costs and forwards the remaining balance to the student to cover living expenses. —John Wisely, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025

On Monday, Budd’s office announced that the Department of Homeland Security disbursed more than $64 million. —Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2025

ESAs will be disbursed based on priority groups and a lottery system. —Lina Ruiz september 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French desbourser, from Old French desborser, from des- dis- + borse purse, from Medieval Latin bursa

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for disburse

• adverse
• averse
• coerce
• disperse
• diverse
• immerse
• inverse
• obverse
• perverse
• rehearse
• reverse
• transverse

Kids Definition

disburse

verb

dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs 

disbursed; disbursing

: to pay out : expend

disburse money

disburser noun

Etymology

from early French desbourser "to pay out money," from des- "out, away" and borse "a purse," from Latin bursa "a small leather bag" — related to purse, reimburse