distribute

distribute — verb

1. to give one of something to each person in a group, especially by putting it int

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to give one of something to each person in a group, especially by putting it into their hands

Example

Baraka stood at the classroom door and distributed the test papers to each student.

distribute + noun + to + person (physical objects)

Volunteers at the food bank distributed rice and beans to over 200 families last Saturday.

Common collocations
  • distribute papers
  • distribute food
  • distribute copies
  • distribute supplies
Synonyms
  • hand out

    less formal, almost always about physical objects given by hand

  • give out

    less formal and more general; used especially for free items

  • issue

    more formal, often used for official items such as uniforms or equipment

Antonyms
  • collect

    to take things from several people, the reverse action

Grammar Patterns

distribute + noun + to + person/group

Usage Note

Always transitive. The direct object is the thing given, and the recipient is introduced by 'to'. The thing given is usually a physical object such as documents, food, or supplies.

Common Mistakes

He distributed the students with books.
He distributed the books to the students.
The recipient follows 'to', not 'with'.

2. to spread something over an area so that it covers many parts of that area, or t

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to spread something over an area so that it covers many parts of that area, or to be spread in this way

Example

The architect designed the windows so that natural light is distributed evenly throughout the house.

passive: be distributed + throughout + area (of light or air)

In a healthy forest, different tree species are distributed across the mountainside at various altitudes.

Common collocations
  • distribute evenly
  • distribute widely
  • distribute across
  • distribute throughout
Synonyms
  • spread

    more common and less formal; can be used in more contexts than 'distribute'

  • scatter

    implies less controlled or more random placement

  • disperse

    more formal; suggests breaking something up and moving it apart

Antonyms
  • gather

    to bring things together into one place

Grammar Patterns

distribute + noun + over/throughout/across + area

be distributed over/throughout/across + area

Usage Note

Common in the passive voice. The choice of preposition depends on the kind of area: 'over' for surfaces, 'throughout' for enclosed or three-dimensional spaces, and 'across' for general or broad areas.

Common Mistakes

Please distribute these chairs throughout the room.' (meaning to arrange physically)
Please spread these chairs around the room.
'Distribute' for physical arrangement of objects in a space sounds overly technical; use 'spread' or 'arrange' instead.

3. to supply goods to shops, companies, or customers so that they can be sold or us

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to supply goods to shops, companies, or customers so that they can be sold or used

Example

The company distributes fresh dairy products to supermarkets across Taiwan every morning.

business: distribute + products + to + retail outlet

Hyun's family runs a small business that distributes organic vegetables to local restaurants.

Common collocations
  • distribute products
  • distribute goods
  • distribute worldwide
  • distribute locally
Synonyms
  • supply

    focuses on providing what is needed, often over time

  • deliver

    focuses on the act of transporting goods to a specific place

  • ship

    specifically means sending goods by sea, air, or road

Antonyms
  • collect

    to take goods from a place rather than bringing them

Grammar Patterns

distribute + noun + to + company/area

be distributed by + company

Usage Note

Frequently used in business and logistics. The subject is usually a company or organisation, and the object is a type of product or goods. The recipient is typically a business, not an individual person.

Common Mistakes

This store distributes clothes to customers.
This store sells clothes to customers.
A shop sells items to people; a company distributes items to shops.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Hand out' and 'give out' are both less formal than 'distribute' and typically refer to physically passing objects to individuals — a teacher hands out worksheets, a charity gives out food. 'Issue' is more formal and implies official or standardised distribution, such as issuing uniforms or identification cards, and often involves a process or entitlement rather than a simple act of giving. 'Allocate' differs in that it means to set aside or assign resources for a specific purpose rather than physically handing them over — a committee allocates funds, a manager allocates tasks. For example: 'The charity distributed meals to the homeless' (physical handing out); 'The government allocated one million dollars to the housing project' (setting aside). Choose 'distribute' for the general act of giving to multiple recipients, 'hand out' for informal physical giving, 'issue' for official items, and 'allocate' for assigning resources.

hand outgive out ↗issue ↗allocate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be distributed by
  • distribute to the public
  • distribute on a large scale

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'distribute' comes from Latin 'distribuere', formed from 'dis-' (meaning 'apart') and 'tribuere' (meaning 'to assign or give'). The original sense was 'to divide and give out among several people', which remains the core meaning today. It entered English through Old French 'distribuer' in the 15th century.