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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 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 Drake has been handing out cash to his fans — and passersby — for years. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026 When Michael Ham first began handing out samples of his company’s tea to Whole Foods shoppers in 2024, explaining that it was grown using regenerative farming on South Korea’s Jeju Island, he was often met with blank stares. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing out

Verb

Instead, Goldman economists suggest that Seoul try some more immediate solutions, like helping elderly Koreans unlock their housing wealth, and better distributing the windfall from the country’s super-profitable tech firms.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
That year, the head trainer of the Commanders was found to have been illegally distributing oxycodone to players — an unsettling reminder of the NFL's difficult history with painkillers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of distributing

Verb

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
Squeeze bottles are also helpful for storing and dispensing homemade condiments (think spicy mayo) or syrups for coffee or cocktails.

— Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dispensing

Verb

The investigation 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, 28 Aug. 2026
Straight Talk As a radio-show therapist doling out wisdom in 1992’s Straight Talk, Parton brought a lot of her own experiences to the big screen.

— Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of doling out

Verb

Thompson will be joined by singer-songwriter Gary Clark, providing the music, with original lyrics by both her and Clark.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
For Abdul-Kafi, making barbecue means providing first-time experiences to people who have traditionally been unable to eat it.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of providing

Verb

Another popular option is the 50/20/30 method, which entails allocating 50% of your income to your needs, 20% to your savings and 30% to your wants.

— Mallika Mitra, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Discrepancy theory is a branch of mathematics concerned with allocating resources as evenly as possible.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of allocating

Browse Nearby Words

handing on

handing out

handing over

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Handing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20out. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of handing out

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes