distribute
The company will distribute free samples to all new customers.
The company will give free samples to every new customer as a promotional strategy.
To give out or deliver something to a number of people or places
The relief agency distributed food and medicine to the refugees.
The relief agency gave food and medicine to the refugees in need.
The teacher distributed the exam papers to the students.
The teacher handed out the exam papers to each student.
Often used with physical items (e.g., products, documents) or abstract concepts (e.g., resources, information).
To spread or scatter something over an area
The farmer distributed seeds evenly across the field.
The farmer scattered seeds uniformly over the entire field.
The virus is distributed through respiratory droplets.
The virus spreads when people breathe in tiny droplets from an infected person.
Common in scientific or technical contexts (e.g., biology, chemistry, engineering).
To divide or apportion something into parts
The profits were distributed equally among the shareholders.
Each shareholder received an equal share of the profits.
Used in legal, financial, or mathematical contexts to describe allocation.
Collocations
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Use 'distribute' for physical items or abstract concepts
Prefer 'distribute' for tangible things (e.g., 'distribute flyers') or ideas (e.g., 'distribute news'). For emotions or actions, use 'spread' (e.g., 'spread joy' vs. 'distribute joy').
Gold Rule
Check prepositions: 'distribute to' vs. 'distribute among'
'Distribute to' implies giving directly to individuals (e.g., 'The teacher distributed the books to the students'). 'Distribute among' suggests sharing within a group (e.g., 'The cake was distributed among the guests').
Word Origin
From Latin *distribuere* (to divide among), from *dis-* (apart) + *tribuere* (to assign). First used in English in the late 14th century.
Usage Notes
Avoid confusing with 'distribute' vs. 'distribute among' — the latter implies sharing among a group (e.g., 'The funds were distributed among the teams').