as in distributed
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals
she doles out office supplies as if she were paying for them out of her own pocket
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Recent Examples of doled out
Musk scored another huge windfall two weeks ago when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a $55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018.
—
Paul Harloff, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Another sticker is doled out for each touchdown a player completes, and particularly spectacular plays also warrant a decal.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 1 Jan. 2026
More than 8,800 city of San Diego retirees — a record number — recently got a controversial year-end retirement bonus that gets doled out when the investment portfolio of the city’s pension system has a strong year.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Anything doled out in 2025 gets no deduction.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
By August, the CDC's center for HIV and tuberculosis prevention had doled out $167 million less than the historical average, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank focused on reducing inequality.
—Amy Maxmen, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
Should the petitioners win their case, Justice Barrett had questions about how reimbursements would be doled out to people and entities that have already paid the tariffs.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
On the other side, billionaire Tom Steyer, who ran briefly for the Democratic POTUS nomination in 2020, doled out nearly $13 million for the measure.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
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
Paul Harloff, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Another sticker is doled out for each touchdown a player completes, and particularly spectacular plays also warrant a decal.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 1 Jan. 2026
More than 8,800 city of San Diego retirees — a record number — recently got a controversial year-end retirement bonus that gets doled out when the investment portfolio of the city’s pension system has a strong year.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Anything doled out in 2025 gets no deduction.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
By August, the CDC's center for HIV and tuberculosis prevention had doled out $167 million less than the historical average, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank focused on reducing inequality.
—Amy Maxmen, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
Should the petitioners win their case, Justice Barrett had questions about how reimbursements would be doled out to people and entities that have already paid the tariffs.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
On the other side, billionaire Tom Steyer, who ran briefly for the Democratic POTUS nomination in 2020, doled out nearly $13 million for the measure.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doled out
Verb
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Reza Pahlavi himself has distributed messages calling for defections among the armed forces, and coordinated protests through QR codes.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Standing 165 centimeters tall and weighing 71 kilograms, the GR-3 offers 55 degrees of freedom and is equipped with tactile sensors distributed across its body for responsive interaction.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Its blend is dispensed seamlessly from a dropper, onto one’s mane without weighing it down.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Floats are fountain drinks dispensed over soft serve.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The business also provided hobbyists with a place to talk about home brewing and meet other people with the same interest.—
Janice Phelan,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
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The spokesperson said information about how utilities are calculated is provided to residents.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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New award for best podcast For the first time, an award for best podcast was handed out.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Held tonight at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, the 83rd annual ceremony once again places fashion front and center before a single award is handed out.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s opposition is weak, divided, largely in exile.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
11 Jan. 2026
-
But our fragmented media landscape and the dominance of social media have left us polarized and divided.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump has attempted to unilaterally rename the Defense Department and the Kennedy Center, despite straightforward laws requiring acts of Congress to do so, and has impounded funds appropriated by Congress for child care and family assistance allocated to Democratic states.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The district is expected to make further cuts in the coming months as the total budget allocated to schools is reduced by $14 million, according to a separate presentation Jeffco Public Schools leaders plan to give Wednesday.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doled out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doled%20out. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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