deal

1 of 4

verb

ˈdēl 

dealt ˈdelt  ; dealing ˈdē-liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to concern oneself or itself

The book deals with education.

a lawyer who deals with real estate law

2

a

: to take action with regard to someone or something

deal with an offender

Who's going to deal with this mess?

b

: to reach or try to reach a state of acceptance or reconcilement

trying to deal with her son's death

3

card games : to distribute the cards to players

your turn to deal

4

business

a

: to sell or distribute something as a business

deal in insurance

b

: to engage in bargaining : trade

transitive verb

1

a

card games : to distribute (playing cards) to players

Deal the cards.

b

: to give as one's portion : apportion

dealt out three sandwiches apiece

a judge dealing out punishments

2

: administer, deliver

dealt him a blow

3

business

a

: sell

deals drugs

b

: trade

deal a player to another team

dealer

ˈdē-lər 

noun

deal

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

business

a

: an act of dealing (see deal entry 1 sense 4) : transaction

big corporate deals

a real estate deal

b

: contract sense 1a

signed a 2-year deal

c

: bargain

got a great deal on a new TV

accepted a plea deal

2

: an arrangement for mutual advantage

kept his side of the deal

3

: treatment received

a dirty deal

4

: situation, story

What is the deal with that guy?

tried to figure out her deal

5

: mccoy

—used in the phrase the real deal

6

: affair sense 2

Dinner was an informal deal.

7

: package deal

deal

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a usually large or indefinite quantity or degree

a great deal of support

a good deal faster

2

card games

a

: the act or right of distributing cards to players

It's your deal.

b

: hand sense 7b

have time for one more deal

3

obsolete : part, portion

deal

4 of 4

noun (3)

1

British : a board of fir or pine

2

: pine or fir wood

deal adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• trade
• negotiate
• sell

Noun (1)

• agreement
• pact
• convention

Noun (2)

• ton
• loads
• plenty
• slew
• dozen
• chunk
• bundle
• lot
• quantity
• bunch
• pile
• wealth
• raft
• stack
• abundance

Choose the Right Synonym for deal

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 deal in a Sentence

Noun (1)

we made a deal to cooperate on the next assignment

we closed the deal for the house last week

if the other party backs out of the deal after it's signed, you can sue

we don't yet know what the deal is with the new manager

that mail-order sweater isn't such a great deal after you factor in the cost of shipping and handling

It's your turn to deal.

Each player is dealt five cards.

She was dealt a full house.

dealing out the cards for a game of poker

The offending players were dealt harsh penalties.

She got caught dealing drugs in school.

Noun (2)

there is a great deal of waste in government

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

As for the second-round picks dealt, each previously was gained in trades, one from the Max Strus sign-and-trade transaction with the Cleveland Cavaliers, one from last season’s trade of Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 July 2025

Moreover, the confused tone of the third act should not exist in a film that deals exclusively in primary colors. —Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025

Noun

By the end of the original 10-year deal, MLS rights may very well be worth at least what Apple paid for them – especially as sports increasingly dominate live TV. —John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

Boston could try to land a star prospect or two from a contending team in a deal for Chapman. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2), Verb, and Noun (1)

Middle English deel, from Old English dǣl; akin to Old English dāl division, portion, Old High German teil part

Noun (3)

Middle English dele, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German, plank; akin to Old High German dili plank — more at thill

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deal

• a good deal
• a good deal of
• a great deal
• a great deal of
• a raw deal
• arms deal
• big deal
• close/seal the deal
• cut a deal
• deal a blow
• deal breaker
• deal in
• deal/play straight
• deal with
• done deal
• fair/square deal
• good deal
• kept one's side of the bargain/deal
• leave a great deal to be desired
• make a big deal (out) of (something)
• make (something) into a big deal
• one-shot deal
• package deal
• raw deal
• strike a deal
• sweetheart deal
• the deal
• the real deal
• what's the big deal?
• wheel and deal

Rhymes for deal

• beal
• chiel
• ciel
• creel
• diel
• eel
• feel
• feil
• heal
• heel
• keel
• kneel

Kids Definition

deal

1 of 3 noun

ˈdē(ə)l 

1

: a large or indefinite amount or extent

means a great deal

2

a

: the act or right of passing out cards to players in a card game

b

: hand entry 1 sense 11b

deal

2 of 3 verb

dealt ˈdelt  ; dealing ˈdē-liŋ 

1

: to give as one's portion : distribute

deal out sandwiches

deal the cards

2

: give entry 1 sense 9a

dealt him a blow

3

: to have to do : treat

the book deals with education

4

: to take action

deal with offenders

5

a

: to engage in bargaining : trade

b

: to sell or distribute something as a business

deals in insurance

dealer

ˈdē-lər 

noun

deal

3 of 3 noun

1

a

: an act of dealing : transaction

b

: the result of bargaining : a mutual agreement

make a deal for a used car

2

: treatment received

a dirty deal

3

: an arrangement for the advantage of all involved

Legal Definition

deal

1 of 2 verb

dealt; dealing

transitive verb

: to carry on the business of buying or especially selling (something)

dealing drugs

intransitive verb

1

: to engage in bargaining

2

: to sell or distribute something as a business or for money

dealing in real estate

deal in stolen property

deal

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act of dealing : a business transaction

2

: an arrangement for mutual advantage (as for a defendant to testify in exchange for immunity from prosecution)