What does distribute mean?
Word: Distribute
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Distribute means to give out or share things among a number of people, or to scatter something over an area.
Synonyms: hand out, share out, give out
Antonyms: gather
How do you spell distribute?
Syllables: dis - trib - ute
Tricky part: The middle vowel is an i. Children often write distrubute.
Watch out for: distrubute, distribut, distrabute
Memory tip: Sweets at a party go into every hand: let that i for into remind you that distribute has an i, not a u, after the r.
Distribute in a sentence
Example 1: The teacher will distribute the answer sheets now.
Example 2: Volunteers distributed food packets after the flood.
Example 3: Distribute the seeds evenly over the soil.
Fun Fact
Distribute came into English in the 1400s from a Latin verb meaning to share out among many.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
distribute
a) collect
b) deliver
c) spread
d) divide
Show answer
a) collect. Collecting brings things together; distributing hands them out.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
d_stribut_
a) i, a
b) i, e
c) y, e
d) e, e
Show answer
b) i, e. The word starts with dis and ends with a silent e.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) parcell
b) donnation
c) quantaty
d) distribute
Show answer
d) distribute. Donation and parcel each have one letter too many here, and quantity needs an i, not an a.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
busetrdiit
a) disturbed
b) distrust
c) attribute
d) distribute
Show answer
d) distribute. Attribute needs an a, disturbed has only one t, and distrust has no b, so all ten letters make distribute.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. At the end of the party, Mum asked Tara to distribute the return gifts. What did Tara do?
a) wrapped them in paper
b) put them back in the box
c) handed one to each guest
d) counted them twice
Show answer
c) handed one to each guest
2. Whose job is it to distribute letters?
a) a librarian
b) a tailor
c) a postman
d) a pilot
Show answer
c) a postman
