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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 doles out
McKellen lands every snippy bon mot and backhanded compliment that Julian doles out, but Coel makes every crack in Lori’s facade really count, as the mystery behind her commitment to Julian unfurls.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Aziza Scott is a hoot as Anna’s pregnant best friend/real-talk Greek chorus of sorts, and Coiro herself doles out zingers as a random tourist on a bus.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Old Town Corner Bakery The best takeaway breakfast can be found at Old Town Corner Bakery, which doles out delicious savory pies, buttery croissants, and drip coffees.
—Sarah Souli, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2026
On the website, an anonymous support team doles out round-ups and aggregates interview highlights, to fill out the content garden.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
Football is king in the SEC and dictates the buckets of television money the conference doles out.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
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
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
David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Aziza Scott is a hoot as Anna’s pregnant best friend/real-talk Greek chorus of sorts, and Coiro herself doles out zingers as a random tourist on a bus.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Old Town Corner Bakery The best takeaway breakfast can be found at Old Town Corner Bakery, which doles out delicious savory pies, buttery croissants, and drip coffees.
—Sarah Souli, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2026
On the website, an anonymous support team doles out round-ups and aggregates interview highlights, to fill out the content garden.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
Football is king in the SEC and dictates the buckets of television money the conference doles out.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doles out
Verb
-
There is a choreography to how reality TV distributes empathy, both in and outside of Bravo.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Every Thursday before Easter, the monarch distributes special coins.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Black folks have seen the face of the US’s prerogative state—the side of the government that dispenses arbitrary jurisprudence, discriminatory law enforcement, and violence against those who challenge its authority and dominant ideologies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Roxana Jullapat hands out chocolate muffins to her team.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Blakespear recognizes Women Who Inspire in Senate District 38, while Boerner hands out Women of Impact awards in the 77th Assembly District.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hameed provides the voice and remote puppetry, while Shah inhabits the bear costume onstage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation offers a Free Snack Program that provides nutritious meals for youths — newborns to 18-year-olds — at its public parks.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The question of whether to mandate vaccinations divides the school board and reveals holes in the school’s progressive ideology.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The gorge is a mountainous stretch where the river divides Arizona and California.—
Lucy Hodgman,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The capital allocates 22% of land for farming and promotes urban innovations like vertical farms and hydroponics to boost local food production.—
Evelyne Musambi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The budget allocates significant funds toward Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox political allies who are a key component of his coalition, while cutting education and healthcare spending and raising taxes.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doles out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doles%20out. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
