administer

verb

əd-ˈmi-nə-stər How to pronounce administer (audio)
Definition of administernext
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 According to the sheriff’s office, deputies began to administer first aid to Thaxton until an ambulance arrived. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026 India also uses standardized electronic voting machines nationwide, and the Indian Election Commission administers the polls federally. — Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Local health departments have administered ​more than 1,000 MMR doses in rural areas since July 15. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2026 And now, states must pay more to run SNAP, which is federally funded but state-administered. — Tracy Roof, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for administer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for administer
  1. distribute
  2. enforce
  3. manage
  4. dispense
  5. implement
  6. supervise
  7. provide
  8. oversee
Verb
  • Each of the company’s more than 20 brands is distributed in North America, with many earning the top spot in key categories.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • An end is in sight for China's yearslong property market slump, S&P Global Ratings analysts said in a report distributed Thursday.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of distribute
Verb
  • But by 2010, Mexican immigration had fallen to net zero; most people arriving at the southern border came from Central America and beyond, and Mexico became an essential partner in helping the United States enforce its immigration laws.
    — Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But public officials might get pushback from an AI-anxious public for relying so heavily on technology to enforce laws.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of enforce
Verb
  • The main idea of the company is to automate parts of these missions so personnel can concentrate on operational decisions rather than manually managing every aspect of a drone’s flight or sensor operation.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Graham’s poetry—as readers of The New York Review will know—somehow manages to reckon with the whole spectrum of human existence in the 2020s.
    — Matthew Aucoin, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of manage
Verb
  • In May, a federal appeals court granted Louisiana’s request to reinstate a nationwide requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in person.
    — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The agency has repeatedly reaffirmed the pill’s safety and effectiveness over the years, in addition to easing a number of restrictions on the drug, including dropping a requirement that it be dispensed in person.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispense
Verb
  • The top tier of college football, known now as the Football Bowl Subdivision, resembles the professional game more with each passing year, prompting calls to implement rules to better manage the sport.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps some credit would also go to their human creators, those putting forth insightful prompts, and those creatively implementing the work.
    — Jeffrey S. Flier, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of implement
Verb
  • An engineer may have no human direct reports but still direct five agents, and a finance professional may supervise an agentic workflow.
    — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At least three employees supervised by Perera have filed bullying complaints with DIR’s Office of Equity and Risk.
    — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • The bill would provide $700 million toward microgrid development.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Wind speeds generally increase with altitude, while higher elevations can also provide more consistent wind conditions.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of provide
Verb
  • Alternatively, take your pick from the five onsite restaurants—spanning Mediterranean, Mexican, Japanese, and European cuisines—overseen by former Top Chef contestant Chef Christian Bravo.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Russell’s Reserve is distilled at Wild Turkey, where master distiller Eddie Russell, son of the legendary Jimmy Russell, oversees production.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of oversee

Phrases Containing administer

Browse Nearby Words

admeasuring
administer
administered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Administer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/administer. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nexus

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All