dole out

verb

doled out; doling out; doles out

transitive verb

1

: to give or deliver in small portions

2

: dish out

Synonyms

• distribute
• dispense
• provide
• deal (out)
• hand out
• allocate
• divide

Choose the Right Synonym for dole out

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 dole out in a Sentence

she doles out office supplies as if she were paying for them out of her own pocket

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the past decade, Antifa International’s defense fund has doled out over $250,000 to more than 800 antifascists from 26 different countries, according to a 10th anniversary post. —Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025

And a pair of big market clubs in Los Angeles and Toronto heading to the World Series is good news for players’ bank accounts, based on how MLB doles out playoff pay. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 Oct. 2025

Another $5 million, Hunn said, will be doled out in grants awarded over the next 13 months to community organizations, health care providers and food banks that support residents with Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal. —Claire Wang, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025

Zhao's pardon is the latest in a series Trump has doled out to executives convicted of white collar crimes. —Gram Slattery, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dole out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout