DOLING (OUT) Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

doling out

verb

present participle of dole out

as in distributing

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 doling out In context of supination, this means minimizing the possibility of injuries; doling out a smoother, plusher ride; and kicking underpronation’s common side effects (think plantar fasciitis, ankle pain, and shin splints) to the curb. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026 The investigation in Loretto was sparked after the West Side safety net hospital came under fire for improperly doling out COVID-19 vaccinations soon after the shots became available. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 The White House has continued doling out tariffs despite the ruling. — Kevin Breuninger,jeff Cox, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Straight Talk As a radio-show therapist doling out wisdom in 1992’s Straight Talk, Parton brought a lot of her own experiences to the big screen. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 Palmer himself paced the room on a phone call, doling out smiles of encouragement and inspiring a hushed reverence in his wake. — Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026 The Dodgers, to their credit, have built a great team—not only by doling out huge salaries but by building an élite development program. — Diego Lasarte, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 Online, influencers in the looksmaxxing space have leveraged other men's insecurities to enormous fame while doling out aesthetic advice with little, if any, credentials. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 While other kids his age were doling out loot bags stuffed with Bazooka bubble gum and slap bracelets, Lovett was recording his favorite music on cassette tapes as party favors. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for doling out

Verb

Vertical is distributing the Depression-era film, in which Hawke plays a widower who is separated from his daughter when he gets sent to a brutal work camp.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Nepali lawmakers have slammed the administration over bureaucratic delays in distributing resources after the floods, including medical equipment and staffing of medical facilities.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of distributing

Verb

Prescribing, dispensing and enabling the sale of retatrutide — which is still in clinical trials — violate those standards.

— Daniel Gilbert, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
The state is challenging the FDA's decision to remove the in-person dispensing requirement, citing states' rights and patient safety concerns.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of dispensing

Verb

Her mother would take a young Karen with her while handing out literature for Democratic candidates and serving as a poll watcher during the local elections.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Marchand has been among the presenters handing out medals on the pool deck during the games with swimming being held in the Olympic pool in Tokyo.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of handing out

Verb

Social platforms have industrialized this process by providing constant signals about how others respond to us.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Instead of providing more security, its obfuscation tactics challenged experts, who then reproduced—and improved upon—the result.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of providing

Verb

Other than dividing some spaces into several smaller auditoriums, the original theater has largely been kept the same since 1927.

— Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2026
What’s dividing fans is Julian Casablancas’ insistence on using Autotune, as many prefer his raw vocals.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of dividing

Verb

Higher yields tend to pose competition for stocks has investors may prefer allocating to relatively risk-free and higher yielding bonds rather than risk-on stocks.

— Paulina Likos, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
CMOs are already allocating an average of 15% of their budgets to new AI initiatives.

— Tobin Thomas, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of allocating

Browse Nearby Words

doles out

doling out

doll

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Doling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doling%20out. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of doling out

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bellwether

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes