distribute
gb/dɪstɹˈɪbjut/ us/dɪstɹˈɪbjut/
B1
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Give things to several people
To give something to each person in a group.
Usage pattern:
to distribute [something] to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'distribute' with 'deliver', but 'distribute' usually involves giving to more than one person or place.
Synonyms
hand out (More informal; often used for small-scale giving, like papers or flyers.)
|
deliver (Focuses on bringing something to a place or person, not necessarily to many people.)
Antonyms
collect (Means to gather items from people instead of giving them out.)
Collocations
distribute leaflets
|distribute food
|distribute resources
|distribute evenly
|distribute copies
Themes
business
|daily life
|education
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The volunteers distributed blankets to the homeless.
- The teacher distributed the exam papers to the students.
- The charity distributed food to families in need.
- They distributed flyers to promote the event.
Learner examples
- The teacher distributed books to the class.
- She distributed water to the runners.
- The man distributed bread to the poor.
- They distributed toys to the children.
Verb
B2
action
2
Spread over a space or range
To spread something over an area.
Usage pattern:
to distribute [something] across/over [an area]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'assign', but 'assign' usually refers to giving specific roles or tasks, not physical spreading.
Synonyms
spread (More general; can refer to both physical and figurative contexts.)
|
allocate (More formal; often used in non-physical contexts like money or time.)
Antonyms
concentrate (Means to gather something into one place instead of spreading it out.)
Collocations
distribute weight
|distribute evenly
|distribute force
|distribute pressure
Themes
science
|engineering
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The weight of the roof is distributed evenly across the walls.
- The software distributes processing tasks among several servers.
- Heat is distributed throughout the room by the radiator.
Learner examples
- The teacher asked us to distribute the chairs around the room.
- The machine distributes water across the field.
- The weight is distributed between the two wheels.
Verb
technical
B2
action
3
Supply goods for sale
To send goods to shops or people who will sell them.
Usage pattern:
to distribute [products/goods] to [locations/customers]
Synonyms
supply (More general; can apply to any provision of goods or resources.)
|
deliver (Focuses on bringing goods to a specific place rather than managing a supply network.)
Antonyms
withhold (Means not providing goods that are expected or needed.)
Collocations
distribute products
|distribute merchandise
|distribute goods
Themes
business
|commerce
|finance
|work
Examples
- The company distributes its products across Europe.
- They distribute fresh produce to local supermarkets.
- This brand is distributed exclusively by one wholesaler.
Learner examples
- The farm distributes vegetables to many shops.
- They distribute phones to stores in many cities.
- The company distributes clothes all over the country.
Grammar
Dictionary form
distribute
IPA
GB/dɪstɹˈɪbjut/
US/dɪstɹˈɪbjut/
Syllables & stress
dis - trib - ute (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (trib)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: distribute
- 3rd Person Singular: distributes
- Present Participle: distributing
- Past: distributed
Word family
Forms
distributes
verb
distributing
verb
distributed
verb
Core family
distribution
noun B1
distributor
noun B2
Related words
Advanced or less common
distributive
adjective
Expressions
be widely distributed
1/bˈi wˈaɪdli dɪstɹˈɪbjətɪd/
fixed phrase
Exist in many places or groups
To be present in many places or found among many people.
Examples
- This bird species is widely distributed across North America.
- The software is widely distributed in schools around the country.
distribute evenly
1/dɪstɹˈɪbjut ˈivənli/
fixed phrase
Spread equally in all parts
To spread something so that each part gets the same amount.
Examples
- Make sure to distribute the butter evenly on the bread.
- The teacher distributed the tasks evenly among the students.