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
Midwest states also enjoy doling out tax breaks to lure data centers, which offer meaningful construction trades jobs.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Since Lover, Swift has come and gone with relative ease, doling out generous portions of concerts and documentaries and behind-the-scenes looks and then going away for months at a time.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Harsha added that the CRA is concerned the agency will or has already begun front-loading its grant funding to catch up on spending, doling out the full amount of a grant instead of distributing it over the course of a number of years.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Govan basked in the limelight nearby, shaking hands and doling out hugs and back pats.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Garrison was generous with his money, doling out a hundred dollars here and there to people in his life.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
As her mother, Linda Emond's Susan gets only a few moments to shine — and milks every single one for all its worth, doling out wince-worthy advice rooted in real (if outdated) wisdom, as many mothers do.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Athletes have largely won the freedom to transfer almost at will via the portal, along with the ability to be paid by schools that are now doling out more than $20 million a year to their athletes.
—Mark Long, Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
In addition, the chatbot will only be able to provide medication which consumers already have a prescription for, rather than doling out entirely new drugs to users.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2026
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Since Lover, Swift has come and gone with relative ease, doling out generous portions of concerts and documentaries and behind-the-scenes looks and then going away for months at a time.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Harsha added that the CRA is concerned the agency will or has already begun front-loading its grant funding to catch up on spending, doling out the full amount of a grant instead of distributing it over the course of a number of years.
—Fiona Bork, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2026
Govan basked in the limelight nearby, shaking hands and doling out hugs and back pats.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Garrison was generous with his money, doling out a hundred dollars here and there to people in his life.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
As her mother, Linda Emond's Susan gets only a few moments to shine — and milks every single one for all its worth, doling out wince-worthy advice rooted in real (if outdated) wisdom, as many mothers do.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Athletes have largely won the freedom to transfer almost at will via the portal, along with the ability to be paid by schools that are now doling out more than $20 million a year to their athletes.
—Mark Long, Arkansas Online, 5 Apr. 2026
In addition, the chatbot will only be able to provide medication which consumers already have a prescription for, rather than doling out entirely new drugs to users.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doling out
Verb
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The investigation allegedly identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in Stamford and other areas in the region, authorities said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
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This summer, Papa Johns will be bottling and distributing its Special Garlic Dipping Sauce to grocery and retail stores nationwide, the company announced in a May 13 news release shared with USA TODAY.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In October, the state of Louisiana asked the 5th US Court of Appeals to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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But the appeals court blocked that ruling and said the in-person dispensing requirement should return while Louisiana appeals the judge’s decision.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Taco Bell would spend six months running promos and handing out special Qui-Gon Jinn cups.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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Airline representatives were also handing out keychains and pins.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Julian Champagnie took over Harrison Barnes’ starting spot in San Antonio and has been an athletic upgrade who is durable and reliable while providing accurate volume shooting.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Before providing any personal information, confirm if the organization is real or check with your school's financial aid office.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Some look at wide areas of the sky to do surveys, while others pinpoint specific targets; some take images, while others take spectra, dividing the incoming light into different energies (or colors, wavelengths or frequencies, all of which are different terms for essentially the same thing).—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
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This time, the administration is dividing more families by greater distances than before, by expelling parents without their children, en masse.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Republican senators generally support allocating federal dollars to improve the security infrastructure around the president, especially after an armed 31-year-old man attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
7 May 2026
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In the meantime, the company is allocating additional quantities to patients in the United States to meet demand.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doling%20out. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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