What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
disperse
Example
The protesters were ordered to disperse by the police. [disperse: verb]
Example
The smoke from the fire began to disperse in the wind. [disperse: verb]
distribute
Example
The teacher will distribute the test papers to the students. [distribute: verb]
Example
The company plans to distribute their products to stores across the country. [distribute: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Distribute is more commonly used than disperse in everyday language. Distribute is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while disperse is less common and often used in specific scientific or environmental contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between disperse and distribute?
Distribute is generally considered more formal than disperse. While distribute can be used in both formal and informal contexts, disperse is typically associated with technical or scientific writing and may not be familiar to beginner ESL learners.
