1
as in to distribute
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals
the principal administers discipline fairly when students break the rules
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to enforce
to carry out effectively
local officials should see that the fair housing laws are rigorously administered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to manage
to look after and make decisions about
the lieutenant governor administers the affairs of the state in the absence of the governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of administer
The first time it was administered, 8,040 students were given 97 minutes to race through 315 questions covering foreign languages, logic skills, vocabulary, and arithmetic.
—
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
22 June 2026
But it was created last year with a $70,000 federal grant administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
The Bureau of Industry and Security administers the list.
—
Paul Baier,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Airlifted to a hospital, Maddie — whom Jamie Lynn welcomed at age 17 in 2008 with her then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge — was in a coma for two days, and a priest was called to administer last rites.
—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for administer
The Week Us,
TheWeek,
22 June 2026
But it was created last year with a $70,000 federal grant administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
The Bureau of Industry and Security administers the list.
—
Paul Baier,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Airlifted to a hospital, Maddie — whom Jamie Lynn welcomed at age 17 in 2008 with her then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge — was in a coma for two days, and a priest was called to administer last rites.
—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for administer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for administer
Verb
-
The third and final wave of Social Security payments for June is scheduled to be distributed this week, following a normal schedule.
-
The lawsuit notes that LeVota’s credit plan relies directly on pulling money back that had already been distributed to school districts — the same criticism identified by the dozen school districts behind the open letter.
Verb
-
The New York City Police Department, sometimes patrolling on horseback, enforces the rules, such as ensuring that the horses are not working in temperatures that exceed 89 degrees in the summer or drop below 18 degrees in the winter.
-
Airlines will sometimes even measure your bag to enforce the size restrictions.
Verb
-
Both Ghana and England will walk away with a point after Ghana managed to hold off England in a heart-pounding final few minutes of stoppage time.
-
Most of the site sits on private land, with a smaller portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Verb
-
Prosecutors say Hammond, who was a pharmacist at Central Pharmacy in Lansing from 2020 to 2024, dispensed and billed a substantial number of female condoms that the pharmacy never received from a wholesaler.
-
Eight years after its last edition, the sprawling, shape-shifting PEOPLE festival is returning to Berlin — and if its organizers have their way, the lineup will once again dispense with marquee billing in favor of unexpected collisions.
Verb
-
Hezbollah was not part of the talks, which resulted in several ceasefire agreements that were never implemented on the ground.
-
The oil backdrop made last week’s earnings from FedEx and FedEx Freight particularly important because both companies spend a lot of money on fuel and had implemented surcharges to cover the recent spike.
Verb
-
That enables Cadence’s system, which is supervised by physicians, to alert a clinician when a patient is deteriorating before a stroke or heart attack, for example.
-
Judge Stacy Street sentenced Beckwith to three years supervised probation, the court clerk confirmed to USA TODAY.
Verb
-
With free childcare provided, women were able to get assistance with resumes, hair and makeup help from Ulta Beauty, as well as a complementary professional headshot.
-
Modern pumps can double as cooling devices, which could provide an effective solution in more intense summer weather.
Verb
-
As part of his work overseeing health and performance programs at Google for 17 years, Newton Cheng researched the studies to understand the isolation and loneliness that can accompany working from home.
-
Mozeliak will oversee day-to-day baseball operations while assisting the search for the next GM, team president Molly Jolly said in a news release.
Cite this Entry
“Administer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/administer. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
