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

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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 But doling out in the realm of $30 million for three years to change leadership on the bench does not compare to these tax payments. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 June 2026 More than 1,000 Amazon shoppers snapped up the pants in the past month alone, doling out hundreds of five-star ratings in the process. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 Leavenworth With its Bavarian-style architecture, mountain views, and taverns doling out steins of German beer and traditional dishes like käsespätzle, this small town in central Washington evokes an Alpine village. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026 Because, despite the company’s anthropomorphized desk-lamp logo, these movies aren’t doling out self-awareness to stuff all willy-nilly. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 18 June 2026 Right now there is nothing stopping them from doling out tax cuts and spending promises while also driving up interest rates. — Martha Gimbel, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Recent reports indicate that Congress members may also favor their alma maters when doling out earmarks. — Heather McCambly, The Conversation, 8 June 2026 The awards came shortly thereafter, doling out the first accolades in 1991. — Carly Westerfield, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2026 In the wake of the shooting, many New Yorkers anointed him a hero for doling out street justice in the crime-riddled subway system. — Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for doling out

Verb

William Saliba — France/Arsenal (position unchanged) Gave up almost nothing to his Arsenal team-mate Gyokeres as France nonchalantly dismissed Sweden, dominating in the air and on the floor while distributing the ball sensibly.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 4 July 2026
PlusM is distributing the film in Korea, with Neon handling North American distribution.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 July 2026

Definition of distributing

Verb

By dispensing with sons and lovers, the tribe of sexless females would double its rate of reproduction and so, quite quickly, take over.

— Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Absolutely Fabulous star Kathy Burke will discuss wellness, before the final episode sees Guz Khan dispensing nuggets of advice on conspiracy theories, wealth and other life matters.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 June 2026

Definition of dispensing

Verb

They were pushed by the group on a Telegram channel dedicated to their activities, which include other marches and handing out Patriot Front flyers and stickers.

— Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
The most aggressive people on the walk were the various religious groups—Scientologists, Christians—handing out literature, including a million-dollar bill that promised the path to heaven.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 July 2026

Definition of handing out

Verb

An old-school center, the Warriors gave him a handful of post-ups, providing him space to work with his back to the basket.

— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
Leaders on Wednesday wrapped up their annual meeting by providing a resume of what was discussed and decided.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of providing

Verb

The main loft, meanwhile, has a dividing wall for privacy and contains a double bed and some more storage.

— Adam Williams July 07, New Atlas, 7 July 2026
Meghan and Harry retreated from the royal spotlight in 2020, sparking global controversy and dividing opinion in Britain.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of dividing

Verb

Targeting the brownfield window For executives building technology strategies and investors allocating capital, the greenfield narrative where AI-native factories are built from scratch describes a small fraction of the actual market.

— Amit Chaturvedy, Fortune, 8 July 2026
The daily calendar displays a week at a time, allocating categories for birthdays, anniversaries and countdowns, and allowing you to color-code these events and even set alarms as reminders.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 July 2026

Definition of allocating

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doles out

doling out

doll

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“Doling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doling%20out. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of doling out

verb

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