English Reference
adjective

distributed

adj.
US /dɪˈstɹɪbjətəd/ UK /dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːtɪd/ dis·trib·uted

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    spread out over a large area or among many people.

    dispersed or scattered across a significant geographical area or throughout a population.

    Simple

    The company has a distributed workforce with employees living in ten different countries.

    In context

    The species is widely distributed across the northern hemisphere, though its population density varies significantly by climate zone.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    describing a system where many computers work together on the same task.

    relating to a system of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a network to achieve a common goal.

    Simple

    A distributed network is harder to crash because there is no single point of failure.

    In context

    The research team utilised a distributed computing model to process the massive datasets generated by the particle accelerator.

    Usage

    Often used to describe databases, networks, or ledger technologies like blockchain.

Usage distributed evenly

About 80% of the funding distributed by Catholic Schools NSW comes from the state and federal governments.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

The payment will be distributed among the 3,452 flight attendants in the class action after expenses are removed, including legal fees.

The Guardian· 12 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated