distribution
noun
dis·tri·bu·tion
ˌdi-strə-ˈbyü-shən 
1
a
: the act or process of distributing
the distribution of leaflets
profit distribution
the distribution of weight
b
law
: the act or process of apportioning by a court the personal property of an intestate
2
a
: the position, arrangement, or frequency of occurrence (as of the members of a group) over an area or throughout a space or unit of time
the distribution of the country's population
b
biology
: the natural geographic range of an organism
3
a
: something distributed
charitable distributions
: such as
(1)
: a sum of money withdrawn from a fund (such as a retirement fund) and given to the beneficiary (see beneficiary sense 2b) or holder of the fund
(2)
b
mathematics
4
anatomy
: the pattern of branching and termination (see termination sense 4) of a ramifying structure (such as a nerve)
5
business
: the marketing or merchandising of commodities
keeping track of distribution costs
Synonyms
Examples of distribution in a Sentence
The group collects food and clothing for distribution to needy families.
The distribution of paychecks will happen every other Friday.
The university does not permit distribution of leaflets on campus.
She was responsible for product distribution.
The company handles the distribution of goods to stores nationwide.
He complained that the distribution of work was unfair.
He studies the distributions of wildcats in North America.
The new design provides better weight distribution.
Recent Examples on the Web
Driving south from Bakersville into Asheville, nearly every church, grocery store, gas station, firehouse, and strip mall parking lot had been converted to some sort of supply distribution point or relief hub.
—
Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Stops include Inland Empire distribution centers for Procter & Gamble in Moreno Valley or the sportswear company United Legwear & Apparel Co. in Beaumont.
—Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
The company continues to focus on expanding its distribution channels and developing new products.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
And since the universe is filled with hydrogen in varying densities, the ability to map out this distribution kickstarted the nascent field of radio astronomy.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distribution 
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Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Stops include Inland Empire distribution centers for Procter & Gamble in Moreno Valley or the sportswear company United Legwear & Apparel Co. in Beaumont.
—Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
The company continues to focus on expanding its distribution channels and developing new products.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
And since the universe is filled with hydrogen in varying densities, the ability to map out this distribution kickstarted the nascent field of radio astronomy.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distribution
Dictionary Entries Near distribution
Cite this Entry
“Distribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distribution. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distribution
noun
dis·tri·bu·tion
ˌdis-trə-ˈbyü-shən
1
: the act or process of distributing
2
a
: the position, arrangement, or numbers (as of the members of a group) over an area or throughout a space or unit of time
b
: the natural geographic range of a living thing
the distribution of human beings
3
a
: something distributed
b
: frequency distribution
population age distribution
4
: the marketing of goods
Medical Definition
distribution
noun
dis·tri·bu·tion
ˌdis-trə-ˈbyü-shən
: the pattern of branching and termination of a ramifying anatomical structure (as a nerve or artery)
Legal Definition
distribution
noun
dis·tri·bu·tion
ˌdis-trə-ˈbyü-shən
1
: the act or process of distributing: as
b
: the payment or transfer to a beneficiary of interest to which he or she is entitled under a trust
c
: the transfer by a corporation or mutual fund of money or property to a shareholder in his or her capacity as a shareholder
d
: the initial offering to the public of a security by a corporation
e
: the delivery of a controlled substance
2
: something distributed
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