# dispensing

/dɪˈspɛnsɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪspˈɛnsɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dispensing
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

giving out something to people, like medicine, money, or advice. It often describes a professional or official way of sharing things.

For teachers: distributing or providing something, especially a service, information, or medication, in an official or systematic manner. Present participle of 'dispense'; often implies a position of authority or a mechanical process.

## Examples

- The machine is dispensing tickets to the passengers.
- Pharmacists spend much of their day dispensing prescriptions and explaining dosage instructions to patients.
- The automated system is capable of dispensing precise measurements of chemical reagents, thereby reducing the margin of human error in the laboratory environment.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The machine is dispensing with coffee." but "The machine is dispensing coffee." — To 'dispense with' means to stop using something; to 'dispense' means to give something out.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive when meaning 'to distribute'; when followed by 'with', it means 'to get rid of' or 'to skip'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.