Word
distribute
Phoneticsdis·trib·ute, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɹɪbjut/
UK/dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːt/
Definitions
01to give out
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to give something to each person in a large group.
v. to hand out or deliver items to a specific group of recipients. Transitive; requires a direct object.
“The teacher will distribute the exam papers once everyone is sitting quietly.”
“Aid agencies worked around the clock to distribute emergency food supplies to the families displaced by the flooding.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'to'.
02to spread over an area
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to spread something across a surface or space.
v. to scatter or spread something more or less evenly over a particular area or through a space.
“Make sure you distribute the seeds evenly across the garden bed.”
“The software is designed to distribute the processing load across several different servers to prevent any single machine from crashing.”
Usage
Commonly used with 'evenly' or 'across'.
Antonyms
03business supply
B2 · Upper Intermediate Business
v. to supply goods to shops and businesses so they can sell them.
v. to supply goods to retail outlets or secondary markets as part of a commercial chain.
“The company distributes its products to over fifty countries worldwide.”
“The publisher signed a new deal with a major logistics firm to distribute their textbooks to university bookstores nationwide.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “distribute” in context.
Adverb
01. equally distribute
“The teacher tried to equally distribute the resources among all the students in the class.”
adv + verb
02. evenly distribute
“Make sure to evenly distribute the weight of the load to prevent the shelf from breaking.”
adv + verb
03. normally distribute
“In statistics, we often assume that the data points are normally distributed across the population.”
adv + verb
04. randomly distribute
“The participants were randomly distributed into three different experimental groups.”
adv + verb
05. unevenly distribute
“Wealth is often unevenly distributed, leading to significant social and economic gaps.”
adv + verb
06. widely distribute
“The new software update was widely distributed to users across the globe last week.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“The agency has begun distributing fortified biscuits in Laymyethna Township, Ayeyarwady region in southwestern Myanmar.” “Several Spanish towns and cities are distributing free glasses for the event, either via tourist offices, certain science museums or other.” Etymology
PIE word *tréyes From Latin distributus, past participle of distribuere (“to divide, distribute”), from dis- (“apart”) + tribuere (“to give, impart”); see tribute.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/distribute