What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
distribute
Example
The teacher will distribute the test papers to the students. [distribute: verb]
Example
The company distributes its products to stores across the country. [distributes: present tense]
disperse
Example
The clouds began to disperse, revealing the blue sky. [disperse: verb]
Example
The police used tear gas to disperse the protesters. [disperse: 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 typically used in specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between distribute and disperse?
Both distribute and disperse can be used in formal and informal contexts, but distribute is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels.
