mete out

phrasal verb

meted out; meting out; metes out
: to give (something) to the people who one decides should get it : to give out or distribute (something)
We're trying to be fair in meting out rewards and punishments.
usually used to refer to something unpleasant (such as punishment)
Huge fines were meted out as punishment.
The king meted out justice as he saw fit.

Examples of mete out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the devastating blows Israel has meted out against an organization that is an enemy of the West with American blood on its hands are staggering. The Editors, National Review, 28 Sep. 2024 Baldwin’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss on July 11, and the issues in their argument were meted out in court. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 12 July 2024 France’s most unforgiving dispenser of fictional vengeance upon male oppressors has maintained her cultural edge by meting out grace instead. Marc Weingarten, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2024 Her ninth child, Max, said his mother meted out discipline in her own way, through healthy competition. Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mete out 

Dictionary Entries Near mete out

Cite this Entry

“Mete out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mete%20out. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on mete out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!