English Reference

Word

disbursement

Phoneticsdis·burse·ment

US/dɪsˈbɝsmənt/

UK/dɪsbˈɜːsmənt/

Definitions

01the act of paying out

C1

n. the official act of paying out money from a fund or bank account.

n. the act or process of distributing money from a central fund, typically following an official approval or administrative procedure.

“The disbursement of the student loans will happen at the start of the semester.”

“The finance department delayed the disbursement of the grant funds until all the necessary compliance documents were signed and filed.”

Formal · Academic

Usage

Often used in the singular to describe the administrative process.

Teaching tip

This is a high-register word. In everyday conversation, people usually just say 'payment' or 'paying out'.

02money paid out

C1 · Law

n. an amount of money that has been paid out, especially for a business or legal reason.

n. a specific sum of money paid out or spent, often recorded as an expense in professional or legal accounting.

“The lawyer's bill included several disbursements for travel and court fees.”

“The annual report lists all major disbursements made to international partners during the previous fiscal year.”

Formal · Technical

Usage

Commonly used in the plural when referring to multiple specific expenses.

Teaching tip

In legal contexts, this specifically refers to costs the lawyer pays to third parties on behalf of the client.

Real-World Examples

“The investments will be funded by the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT) through phased disbursements.”
Al Jazeera · 21 Aug 2026
“In April, a State Department official told Congress that the department had authorised the disbursement of about $3bn to Venezuela.”
Al Jazeera · 19 Aug 2026

Domain

Finance

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/disbursement

English Reference