distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.
distributed food to the needy
dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need.
dispensed wisdom to the students
divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.
three charitable groups divided the proceeds
deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.
deal out equipment and supplies
dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.
doled out what little food there was
Example Sentences
Verb She divided the pie into eight pieces. The equator divides the Earth into two hemispheres. The river divides after the bridge. A tall fence divides the two yards.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There's been plenty to divide fans, yet comedy still resonates. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2022 Meanwhile, the sport continues to unite, divide, and take over. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 It must be noted that if the Tony Awards were ever to divide acting categories into dairy and nondairy, Milky White would be a moo-in. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 11 July 2022 Books constantly unite, divide, attract and repel people.New York Times, 7 Apr. 2022 As Russia's onslaught continues, Lambrinidis stressed that Western solidarity in the face of Russian leader Vladimir Putin's aggression is important because Putin's other goal beyond taking over Ukraine is to divide the West on geopolitical issues. Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2022 The point is to do so wisely and, if possible, try to unite rather than divide. Julian Villanueva, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2021 As flooding persists and worsens in Lake County, projects to alleviate the impacts have drawn bipartisan support while other issues continue to divide leaders in opposing parties. Gavin Good, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2022 Remove from the heat, divide among plates or shallow bowls, and serve. Olga Massov, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
Noun
The political divide and a lack of women in positions of political power prevent the U.S. from adopting a safety net that allows women to reach their full economic potential, says Melinda Gates French. Paige Mcglauflin, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2022 The debate highlights a fundamental divide in U.S. drug policy. Lev Facher, STAT, 11 Sep. 2022 As the more than two-minute glimpse at the film continues, viewers get a sense that the Fabelmans have a divide among their family. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022 Michael Mueller served for more than four years as the commander of the department’s Fifth District, which straddles the Delmar Boulevard divide to include the upscale Central West End and several higher-crime neighborhoods to the north. Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2022 Yet reform advocates point to the steep potential costs of inaction: an increasingly angry partisan divide that has left growing numbers of people feeling politically disconnected, disillusioned, and unrepresented. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2022 Jones did not want to delve into the differences between Fitzwater and Racioppi and whether the race reflected a divide in the state GOP. Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Rather than divide and distract, politicians of all stripes should focus on what children need, from reading, math and music to mental-health support and pathways to careers and colleges.Fox News, 6 Sep. 2022 That backlash differs from the divide emerging within the medical and public health fields; such threats, made directly against some public health experts, mostly come from people in the general public. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Latin dividere, from dis- + -videre to separate — more at widow