HANDING OUT Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

handing out

verb

present participle of hand out

as in distributing

to give out (something) to appropriate individuals no system yet in place for handing out room assignments

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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 handing out Similarly, collectible cards and card games were in the spotlight at Gamescom in Cologne in August, with attendees streaming to booths handing out special cards, such as Upper Deck cards for Tencent’s Honor of Kings, amplifying brands. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 Dean, 58, refereed 553 top-flight matches from 2000 until his retirement in 2022, handing out a record 113 red cards in the division. — Sam Joseph, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 The next day, Mladic's forces were filmed handing out sweets to children, promising their safe passage. — Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 My interest came from learning folk songs, memorable stories passed down over the generations in an oral sense before the American music business cut it up and started handing out ownership of copyrights and publishing. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 Ana Karina García, director of Juntos Se Puede, an organization that helps Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, said that the Colombian government stopped handing out new temporary residency permits three years ago. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 The damage is so widespread that even the people handing out the food were impacted by the same ongoing crisis. — Sara MacHi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Adults can share the duties of handing out snacks and keeping kids entertained. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026 This entails handing out thousands of patronage jobs to rabbis, bureaucrats, undertakers, and inspectors. — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing out

Verb

Paramount is distributing the film, which was made and financed by Hammerstone.

— Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Mensah looked as good as the numbers suggested, too, ripping NFL-level throws and distributing the ball to his myriad playmakers, namely wide receiver Malachi Toney.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of distributing

Verb

Staff are tuned-in and attentive, knowledgeable and efficient, without dispensing any of the sirs and ma’ams and stilted affections of fancier places.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
The agreement resolves a lawsuit filed in 2020 that alleged Walmart repeatedly violated the federal Controlled Substances Act by unlawfully dispensing opioid prescriptions at pharmacies across the country.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dispensing

Verb

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

Definition of doling out

Verb

And then on Sunday, next to Granada’s imposing Alhambra fortress, Kuss — providing there are no nasty surprises — will complete his third Grand Tour in a row.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The body was then finished in an iridescent mother-of-pearl white, providing a suitably extravagant backdrop for the jewelry-like detailing.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of providing

Verb

The freeway had been closed between Hazel Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard as investigators processed the shooting scene on the freeway dividing Rancho Cordova and Gold River.

— Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026
The trial has generated intense interest for more than a month, deeply dividing the public and drawing attention to issues around maternal mental health after childbirth.

— Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of dividing

Verb

That type of short-term control is what Uber reportedly invoked, allocating $1,500 per user per month, mainly for coding assistants.

— Chris Stegh, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Chicago helped pioneer the modern listing marketplace that has led to enormous gains in allocating houses efficiently.

— Tomas J. Philipson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of allocating

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handing on

handing out

handing over

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“Handing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20out. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of handing out

verb

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