as in distributes
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 doles out
Through a combination of buttery-smooth fabric, mighty arch support, impact-absorbing memory foam, and the kind of curved, rocker-like outsole that doles out both traction and momentum on any surface.
—
Rudolf Obias, Footwear News, 3 Mar. 2026
At times, his social role will overlap with that of other weight-room regulars, not least of which is the gym grandpa, who hangs around and shoots the breeze and doles out tips on how to lift.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Lambert’s script doles out details in small measures, requiring patience from her audience.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
Its revenue-distribution model doles out more to the SEC and Big Ten than the Atlantic Coast and Big 12, among the power conferences.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Jan. 2026
Rob Hale, founder and CEO of telecommunications company Granite Communications, annually doles out $1,000 checks to local recent college graduates in Massachusetts.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
In total, the New York City Marathon doles out $969,000 in prize money, including $534,000 total to the men’s and women’s top-10 finishers, and $118,000 total to the top-five American finishers.
—Bette Canter, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Passed 50 years ago, IDEA doles out billions of dollars annually to states, and then to school districts, which use the money to help pay for special education services.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Nick Benz-Bushling doles out Johnathan's medications.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Rudolf Obias, Footwear News, 3 Mar. 2026
At times, his social role will overlap with that of other weight-room regulars, not least of which is the gym grandpa, who hangs around and shoots the breeze and doles out tips on how to lift.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Lambert’s script doles out details in small measures, requiring patience from her audience.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
Its revenue-distribution model doles out more to the SEC and Big Ten than the Atlantic Coast and Big 12, among the power conferences.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Jan. 2026
Rob Hale, founder and CEO of telecommunications company Granite Communications, annually doles out $1,000 checks to local recent college graduates in Massachusetts.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
In total, the New York City Marathon doles out $969,000 in prize money, including $534,000 total to the men’s and women’s top-10 finishers, and $118,000 total to the top-five American finishers.
—Bette Canter, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Passed 50 years ago, IDEA doles out billions of dollars annually to states, and then to school districts, which use the money to help pay for special education services.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Nick Benz-Bushling doles out Johnathan's medications.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doles out
Verb
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Royal Cup manufactures and distributes coffee and tea, and got an investment from Braemont Capital at the end of last year.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Another $4 million will go toward a program that distributes air purifiers capable of filtering hydrogen sulfide and other pollutants from the toxic cross-border flows.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
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Of course, the real issue isn’t advice itself, but rather the wisdom of whomever dispenses it—and finding them in the first place is harder to admitting someone else’s opinion just may be savvier than your own.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The country’s economic crimes unit has opened a corruption investigation into former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland — who also once headed the committee that hands out the Nobel Peace Prize — over his ties with Epstein.—
Jill Lawless,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
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This single fine is close to the normal total of $8 million to $10 million in all fines that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration hands out each year.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Or, this versatile, lightweight neck pillow from Trtl is much less bulky than your average option but still provides support by keeping your neck upright while padding it.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Bluehost provides a more streamlined, beginner-friendly experience owing to its Wondersuite website creation tools.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The county also divides properties into appraisal neighborhoods, which may not match how homeowners think about their communities.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
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The food and drink Culinary offerings track the seasons through the ancient Japanese calendar, which divides the year into 72 micro-seasons.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Congress is meant to approve an annual authorization bill to set NASA’s priorities and an appropriations bill that allocates money, but the former is often neglected; the most recent finalized NASA authorization bill dates to 2022.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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While this program allocates $50 billion to rural health over five years, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which created the program, will result in $58 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade.—
Daniel Torrent,
STAT,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doles out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doles%20out. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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