dispense
verb
dis·pense di-ˈspen(t)s 
dispensed; dispensing
transitive verb
1
a
: to divide and share out according to a plan : to deal out in portions
dispense food among the needy
b
: administer
dispense justice
2
: to exempt from a law or release from a vow, oath, or impediment : to give dispensation (see dispensation sense 2a) to : exempt
may dispense students from this requirement
3
: to prepare and distribute (medication)
dispensing pills to their patients
intransitive verb
archaic : to grant dispensation
Synonyms
- administer
- allocate
- apportion
- deal (out)
- distribute
- dole out
- hand out
- mete (out)
- parcel (out)
- portion
- prorate
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The ATM only dispenses $20 bills. a newspaper columnist who dispenses advice to millions of readers each week Pharmacists are certified to dispense medication.
Recent Examples on the Web Moutarde Maille sells 100 flavors of mustard in such large quantities that their clerks dispense it out of taps the same way bartenders here pour a Kronenbourg lager – only without a foamy head. 
Dan Fellner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2022 But because the drug can also be used to induce abortions, pharmacists in Texas can refuse to dispense it. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 Still, addiction experts say, Sublocade use remains limited because of the regulatory hurdles required to dispense it. Jenny Gold, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2022 But Michigan officials have touted their Narcan distribution — a law passed in 2016 allows pharmacies to dispense it without a prescription — as a big part of their strategy in combatting the overdose death crisis. Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 17 Feb. 2022 Then, dispense the solution through the nozzle, gently scrub with the soft brush, and vacuum it all back into the dirty water tank for easy emptying. Carolyn Forté, Good Housekeeping, 1 Sep. 2022 Instead of personalized treatments based on variables like health history, body type and gender, and even genome, medical providers dispense standard treatments that serve only a portion of the population. Shafin Tejani, Forbes, 7 June 2022 Today’s fastest liquid-handling robots can dispense samples into 384 wells in a matter of seconds. Sajith Wickramasekara, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 Likewise, vending machines can dispense over-the-counter drugs, including Plan B. Fox News, 27 July 2022 See More
Dan Fellner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2022 But because the drug can also be used to induce abortions, pharmacists in Texas can refuse to dispense it. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 Still, addiction experts say, Sublocade use remains limited because of the regulatory hurdles required to dispense it. Jenny Gold, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2022 But Michigan officials have touted their Narcan distribution — a law passed in 2016 allows pharmacies to dispense it without a prescription — as a big part of their strategy in combatting the overdose death crisis. Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 17 Feb. 2022 Then, dispense the solution through the nozzle, gently scrub with the soft brush, and vacuum it all back into the dirty water tank for easy emptying. Carolyn Forté, Good Housekeeping, 1 Sep. 2022 Instead of personalized treatments based on variables like health history, body type and gender, and even genome, medical providers dispense standard treatments that serve only a portion of the population. Shafin Tejani, Forbes, 7 June 2022 Today’s fastest liquid-handling robots can dispense samples into 384 wells in a matter of seconds. Sajith Wickramasekara, STAT, 2 Aug. 2022 Likewise, vending machines can dispense over-the-counter drugs, including Plan B. Fox News, 27 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin dispensare to exempt, from Latin, to distribute, from dis- + pensare to weigh, frequentative of pendere to weigh, pay out — more at spin
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing dispense
Kids Definition
dispense
verb
dis·pense di-ˈspens
dispensed; dispensing
1
: to give out in small amounts
The machine dispenses candy.
2
: to give out as deserved
The judge dispensed justice.
3
: to put up or prepare medicine in a form ready for use
Medical Definition
dispense
transitive verb
dis·pense dis-ˈpen(t)s
dispensed; dispensing
1
: to put up (a prescription or medicine)
2
: to prepare and distribute (medication)
dispensing
verb
as in distributing
to give out (something) to appropriate individuals a conscientious pharmacist never dispenses pills to people without assurances that they understand the instructions Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- distributing
- providing
- administering
- supplying
- allocating
- dividing
- portioning
- apportioning
- donating
- furnishing
- assigning
- issuing
- sharing
- prorating
- doling out
- disbursing
- handing out
- splitting
- proportioning
- spreading
- disseminating
- redistributing
- allotting
- contributing
- circulating
- rationing
- dispersing
- bestowing
- appropriating
- dealing (out)
- meting (out)
- scattering
- setting
- parcelling (out)
- parceling (out)
- lotting
- parting
- allowing
- dishing out
- pledging
- reapportioning
- reallocating
- divvying (up)
- sharing (out)
- admeasuring
- measuring (out)
- dolloping (out)
- chipping in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- withholding
- denying
- rejecting
- refusing
- declining
- depriving (of)
- misallocating
- pinching
- skimping
- begrudging
- disallowing
- stinting
- niggling (out)