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

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

Energy Foundation China, the nonprofit group mentioned by Lucci, is one such major funder of domestic environmental nonprofit organizations, disbursing tens of millions of dollars each year to support American activists while operating under the oversight of the CCP. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025

There was no indication that the government will refuse to disburse Harvard’s existing grants. —Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025

Use Payments as a Competitive Advantage Invoice faster, settle sooner, and disburse smarter. —Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 3 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