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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Recent Examples of doling out
Before the BusPatrol camera program was suspended last year for doling out questionable violations, the private company running the operation was also mailing out violations with faulty information.
—
Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
The city's three public safety agencies are also developing public dashboards which will track a range of data metrics relevant to each department, including staffing levels, how many 911 calls each agency is responding to and how much overtime pay each department is doling out each month.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Both of these make doling out cash riskier.
—Aly J Yale, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Her parents worked in the family’s furniture store, where Weiss’s father, Lou, had a flair for marketing, doling out a line of candies called Weiss Krispie Treats to customers.
—Clare Malone, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Laime had a tendency to get involved with her listeners, trading emails back and forth after doling out advice.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
In a Thursday release, the Commission said it’s never shared its methodology used in doling out about $168 million to about 37,000 grant winners across the state to support students from low-income families.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the south, Shenzhen was already doling out $70 million a year to support local AI firms and research, while Chengdu, in the west, invested $42 million in a start-up called Zhipu AI to bring a new model-training center and research facility to the city.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
The funding comes from a $250 million pot of money the Federal Emergency Management Agency is doling out through a new Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems grant program.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025
Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
The city's three public safety agencies are also developing public dashboards which will track a range of data metrics relevant to each department, including staffing levels, how many 911 calls each agency is responding to and how much overtime pay each department is doling out each month.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Both of these make doling out cash riskier.
—Aly J Yale, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Her parents worked in the family’s furniture store, where Weiss’s father, Lou, had a flair for marketing, doling out a line of candies called Weiss Krispie Treats to customers.
—Clare Malone, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Laime had a tendency to get involved with her listeners, trading emails back and forth after doling out advice.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
In a Thursday release, the Commission said it’s never shared its methodology used in doling out about $168 million to about 37,000 grant winners across the state to support students from low-income families.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
In the south, Shenzhen was already doling out $70 million a year to support local AI firms and research, while Chengdu, in the west, invested $42 million in a start-up called Zhipu AI to bring a new model-training center and research facility to the city.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
The funding comes from a $250 million pot of money the Federal Emergency Management Agency is doling out through a new Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems grant program.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doling out
Verb
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And Tuesday night — which featured Yancy’s team distributing a printout of questions challenging the mayor’s handling of the budget — shows the rift between the two progressives growing.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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But by the time cops were distributing her image, her worried parents had realized that the child wandered off and had begun canvassing the neighborhood for her.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Though your sink may not be running constantly, the dispensing pipe always has water ready to be used.—
Katey Psencik,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
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The number of beet juice-dispensing trucks in the city of Chicago, according to Cole Stallard, Chicago’s commissioner of Streets and Sanitation.—
Jeff Martin,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Heart Party Favors or Milk Chocolate Heart Candy Canes are ideal for handing out to your child’s class or party favors for your Galentine’s get-together, while the 10-ounce bags are perfect for baking or filling a candy bowl at home or the office.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
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Both are on a mission, handing out flyers for Luis’ missing daughter, Mar, swallowed by the seemingly endless nomadic rave culture.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But in January, with Ball dishing, Brandon Miller rolling, Miles Bridges dunking, Diabate rebounding and rookie Kon Knueppel providing some of everything, the Hornets have looked formidable.—
Scott Fowler The Charlotte Observer,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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According to Jared Weiss, Spurs beat writer for The Athletic, the group has quickly evolved into a civic movement, engaging in local charity work and providing emotional support to fans facing health issues.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile the question of whether events contracts on sports amount to financial derivatives or gambling is dividing the sports gambling industry — and tying federal courts in knots.—
Alex Sherman,Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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The clearance rate is calculated by dividing the number of homicide cases opened in a year by the number of homicide cases closed in a year.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even so, economists pointed to an apparent shift in household preferences, with consumers increasingly allocating spending towards services rather than goods.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Advocate improves employees’ health and retirement The company is also allocating $40 million to enhance program benefits, including offering free virtual care and expanded support for mental health, women’s health and menopause care.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doling%20out. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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