mete out
phrasal verb
meted out; meting out; metes out
: to give (something) to the people who one decides should get it : to give out or distribute (something)
We're trying to be fair in meting out rewards and punishments.
—usually used to refer to something unpleasant (such as punishment)Huge fines were meted out as punishment.
The king meted out justice as he saw fit.
Examples of mete out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prospective customers commonly report being told by sales associates, who are said to have broad authority over how coveted bags are meted out after arriving in stores, that priority for scarce products goes to loyal customers.
—
Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
For nearly two decades, a loose band of sheriff’s deputies roamed impoverished neighborhoods across a central Mississippi county, meting out their own version of justice.
—Nate Rosenfield Rory Doyle For The New York Times, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Her avidity added some dimension to Gold’s vision of a world in which justice is meted out to those who speak most eloquently and power redounds to those who are already powerful.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
The regulatory agency metes out multiple levels of discipline, from minor penalties to permanent disbarment, although some findings are not entered into the public record.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024
Instead, the public executions were meted out with unchecked viciousness as the men were beaten, hanged, shot, paraded through town and, in one instance, set on fire.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
This leads to some verbal blows that are just as fierce as any meted out in the ring.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 23 Dec. 2023
Some people clearly still believe that institutions can mete out justice equitably.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024
Absent, too, were questions on Russia’s sweeping political crackdowns on Putin’s critics or the long jail sentences meted out to ordinary Russians staging antiwar protests.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024
Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
For nearly two decades, a loose band of sheriff’s deputies roamed impoverished neighborhoods across a central Mississippi county, meting out their own version of justice.
—Nate Rosenfield Rory Doyle For The New York Times, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Her avidity added some dimension to Gold’s vision of a world in which justice is meted out to those who speak most eloquently and power redounds to those who are already powerful.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
The regulatory agency metes out multiple levels of discipline, from minor penalties to permanent disbarment, although some findings are not entered into the public record.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024
Instead, the public executions were meted out with unchecked viciousness as the men were beaten, hanged, shot, paraded through town and, in one instance, set on fire.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
This leads to some verbal blows that are just as fierce as any meted out in the ring.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 23 Dec. 2023
Some people clearly still believe that institutions can mete out justice equitably.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024
Absent, too, were questions on Russia’s sweeping political crackdowns on Putin’s critics or the long jail sentences meted out to ordinary Russians staging antiwar protests.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mete out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mete out
Cite this Entry
“Mete out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mete%20out. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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