as in distributing
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals
no system yet in place for handing out room assignments
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Recent Examples of handing out
Adonis began handing out the hearts to people in his community.
—
Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
Gray spotted a young woman handing out samples of meat and cheese stuffed into tiny plastic cups.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Zion Norwood and Wilmer Almendarez, both 16 and students at Western International High School, sat in camp chairs, handing out leaflets supporting Sheffield’s rival, Solomon Kinloch Jr.
—Tanya Wildt, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
There are original 20th-century mosaics underfoot, live jazz in the air, and servers handing out refreshments before anyone even boards.
—Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
The parade departs the temple Sunday morning and makes a slow crawl through a several-mile route, lined with thousands of people and many vendors handing out food and drinks.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Markevych works with about 20 colleagues and spends much of her time driving around eastern Ukraine in a van, organizing tutoring and puppet shows and handing out books.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
Swift’s dad Scott even got in on the fun, and was seen handing out bracelets to fans at shows, and Ed previously did so, too, at Swift’s concert in Toronto in November 2024.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
His gesture with the bracelets called to mind how Swift’s father, Scott Swift, has a tradition of handing out guitar picks to his daughter’s fans.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
Gray spotted a young woman handing out samples of meat and cheese stuffed into tiny plastic cups.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Zion Norwood and Wilmer Almendarez, both 16 and students at Western International High School, sat in camp chairs, handing out leaflets supporting Sheffield’s rival, Solomon Kinloch Jr.
—Tanya Wildt, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
There are original 20th-century mosaics underfoot, live jazz in the air, and servers handing out refreshments before anyone even boards.
—Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
The parade departs the temple Sunday morning and makes a slow crawl through a several-mile route, lined with thousands of people and many vendors handing out food and drinks.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Markevych works with about 20 colleagues and spends much of her time driving around eastern Ukraine in a van, organizing tutoring and puppet shows and handing out books.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
Swift’s dad Scott even got in on the fun, and was seen handing out bracelets to fans at shows, and Ed previously did so, too, at Swift’s concert in Toronto in November 2024.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
His gesture with the bracelets called to mind how Swift’s father, Scott Swift, has a tradition of handing out guitar picks to his daughter’s fans.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing out
Verb
-
Lionsgate is distributing the movie domestically, while Universal handles the global launch.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Capital Area Food Bank has been distributing food to federal workers affected by the shutdown.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But that doesn’t negate what is already happening in other parts of the economy, where the Administration is intervening willy-nilly, dispensing money and favors, and expanding its reach at a pace that’s hard to keep up with.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
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The restaurant’s health permit wasn’t posted, many food items were without labels and dates and the dishwasher wasn’t dispensing sanitizer.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Trump is just straight-up doling out untruths – and blaming Biden.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Conte remained defiant about his central role in doling out designer steroids to elite athletes.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Foraging for black walnuts is a long-standing tradition in the Ozarks, providing extra cash for harvesters and connecting people with the outdoors.—
Randy Moll,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The United States supported the anti-communist massacres, providing lists of senior communist party officials, equipment and money to the Indonesian army, according to official documents that were declassified in 2017.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The singer's annual holiday clip is dividing fans this year.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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Similar efforts have emerged in Missouri, where the state legislature passed a new map dividing Kansas City among three congressional districts.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Grossmont board focuses on grantmaking, allocating funds from property tax levies for a range of programs.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Oral arguments, typically constrained to an hour (allocating 30 minutes for each side), will be expanded, underscoring the gravity and complexity of the case.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20out. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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