disburse

verb

dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs How to pronounce disburse (audio)
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
disburser noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Existing continuing resolutions, or temporary funding measures, generally only allow the USDA to disburse benefits 30 days after a shutdown begins, and funding can run out. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025 The state agency has also disbursed funds to schools for special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025 The Department of Education plans to furlough most staff but will continue to disburse Pell Grants, federal student loans, and maintain Title I and IDEA grant funding. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 One round of payments was disbursed, but farmers are waiting on a second round of payments and approximately $10 million in remaining funds is projected to be distributed to Arkansas farmers for losses triggered in 2024, Biram said. Cristina Larue, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disburse

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of disburse was in 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Disburse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disburse. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

disburse

verb
dis·​burse dis-ˈbərs How to pronounce disburse (audio)
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

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