Word
dispense
Phoneticsdis·pense, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈspɛns/
UK/dɪspˈɛns/
Definitions
01to distribute
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
v. to give out or provide something to a group of people.
v. to distribute or provide a service or information to a number of people.
“The machine in the lobby will dispense fresh water for free.”
“The charity set up a temporary station to dispense emergency supplies and clean water to the residents affected by the flood.”
Synonyms
02to prepare medicine
C1 · Advanced Medicine Technical
v. to prepare and give out medicine, usually in a pharmacy.
v. to prepare and distribute medical prescriptions or pharmaceutical products.
“The pharmacist will dispense your medication once the doctor signs the form.”
“Hospital regulations require two staff members to be present when the pharmacy team dispenses controlled substances to the wards.”
03to administer justice
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
v. to give out justice or apply laws to a situation.
v. to administer or execute laws, justice, or punishments.
“The judge's job is to dispense justice fairly to everyone.”
“The tribunal was established to dispense justice in cases where local courts were deemed to have a conflict of interest.”
Synonyms
04to do without
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to stop using something or decide you do not need it.
v. to manage without or get rid of something; always used with the preposition 'with'.
“Since we have the new software, we can dispense with the paper files.”
“The chairman suggested that they dispense with the formal introductions to save time for the actual debate.”
Usage
The verb is transitive when meaning 'to distribute'. When meaning 'to discard' or 'to do without', it is intransitive and requires the preposition 'with'.
Pitfall
The machine dispenses with coffee.
The machine dispenses coffee.
Using 'with' changes the meaning to 'getting rid of' or 'doing without'; use the verb alone for the act of giving out a product.
Real-World Examples
“Then in April this year, authorities noticed that young people had switched to another drug and imposed tighter controls on how it is prescribed and dispensed at chemists.” “He thinks the people who visit twice a day are nurses, legally required to dispense his dementia medication.” Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French dispenser, from Latin dispēnsāre (“to weigh out, pay out, distribute, regulate, manage, control, dispense”), frequentative of dispendere (“to weigh out”), from dis- (“apart”) + pendere (“to weigh”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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