What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
dispersed
Example
The flowers were dispersed throughout the garden. [dispersed: verb]
Example
The company has a dispersed workforce with employees located all over the world. [dispersed: adjective]
distributed
Example
The charity distributed food and supplies to the homeless. [distributed: verb]
Example
The resources were distributed fairly among all the teams. [distributed: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Distributed is more commonly used than dispersed in everyday language. Distributed is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, such as business, logistics, and charity work, while dispersed is less common and tends to be used in more specific contexts, such as ecology or geography.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between dispersed and distributed?
Both dispersed and distributed can be used in formal and informal contexts, but distributed is more versatile and can be used in a wider range of formality levels, from casual to technical or academic language.
