deal 1 of 3

as in ton
a considerable amount there is a great deal of waste in government

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

2 of 3

noun (2)

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2
3
4
as in situation
position with regard to conditions and circumstances we don't yet know what the deal is with the new manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in bargain
something bought or offered for sale at a desirable price that mail-order sweater isn't such a great deal after you factor in the cost of shipping and handling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deal are dispense, distribute, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

When could dispense be used to replace deal?

In some situations, the words dispense and deal are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is distribute a more appropriate choice than deal?

Although the words distribute and deal have much in common, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When can divide be used instead of deal?

The words divide and deal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When is it sensible to use dole out instead of deal?

The synonyms dole out and deal are sometimes interchangeable, but dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

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 deal
Noun
Fried earned the largest chunk of the money that was allotted for Soto, signing an eight-year, $218 million deal as the Yankees boosted their rotation. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025 Get 10% Off With Today’s Home Depot Promo Codes and Spring Offers Home Depot coupons and deals tend to ramp up in Spring, when people start refreshing their house and backyard, with deals of up to 50 percent on patio furniture, bath, mattresses and area rugs for Spring Decor Days. Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 17 May 2025
Verb
Reinsurance firms offer policies to primary insurance providers, who typically deal directly with customers on the ground. Chloe Taylor,ganesh Rao, CNBC, 13 May 2025 Amid weekend discussions, however, the group shelved the bill — which dealt only with ethnic studies. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for deal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deal
Verb
  • The Knicks – who after last season added Karl-Anthony Towns in a trade for Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and traded five first-round draft picks for Mikal Bridges – opened as -140 favorites.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
  • Lee was there to witness those series, famously trading jabs with Pacers star Reggie Miller during those back-and-forth battles.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Trump signed an executive order on Monday encouraging linking the cost of prescription drugs to what's paid in other nations where drug prices are negotiated by their government and tend to be much lower.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • In Tampa, the stadium’s naming rights partner, Raymond James, negotiated by the Bucs for the Bucs, is the longest-standing in the NFL.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a tariff of at least 25 percent on Apple if its iPhones sold in the U.S. are not manufactured in the country.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
  • Apple had been making approximately 80% of the iPhones sold in the U.S. in China, the news agency stated.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • And there was a process that was specifically bargained for in this agreement.
    Laura Romero, ABC News, 6 May 2025
  • To this end, in 1954, NBA players formed the NBPA for purposes of collectively bargaining with the NBA and its clubs.
    Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deal. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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