Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

Dispense with and dispense to

Dispense with means do without. Dispense to means distribute something to someone.

Quick answer

Which prepositions follow dispense?

Use dispense with for doing without something. Use dispense to when giving out items to people. In, along, and by are usually separate adjuncts.

dispense with formalities
dispense medicine to patients

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
dispense with + thing

Doing without something

This is a common idiom.

We can dispense with printed tickets
2
dispense + item + to + person

Distributing something

To introduces the recipient.

Pharmacists dispense medication to customers
3
dispense by + method

Showing a method or system

By can introduce the means used.

Fuel is dispensed by automated pumps

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
dispense with
The editor dispensed with unnecessary details.
remove or do without
dispense to
The clinic dispenses vaccines to travellers.
give out to recipients
dispense in
The medicine is dispensed in small bottles.
in introduces packaging or context
dispense along
Volunteers walked along the road and dispensed water.
along is a place adjunct, not a selected complement

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using with for recipients

Use to for the person receiving something.

✕ They dispensed food with refugees. ✓ They dispensed food to refugees.

Using dispense without an object in distribution meaning

The item distributed is usually stated.

✓ The machine dispenses coffee to customers.

Confusing dispense with and distribute

Dispense with means eliminate or avoid.

✕ The nurse dispensed with patients. ✓ The nurse dispensed medicine to patients.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We can dispense ___ paper forms now.
2. The pharmacist dispensed the tablets ___ the patient.
3. Tickets are dispensed ___ a machine.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

What does dispense with mean?

It means remove, avoid, or do without something.

Can dispense mean distribute?

Yes. It is common in medical and technical contexts.

Is dispense along standard?

No. Along normally acts as a place adjunct, not a verb complement.

dabble, in, dabble, with "damage to" or "damage by"? dance to, with, on, in or for? "dangle from" or "dangle in"? dare to, for, on, as or at? dash to, into, out, from or on? daydream about, for, in, of or on? "debate in", "debate on" or "debate with"? deceive by, in, into, on or about? "decide on", "decide to" or "decide by"? declare in, by, on, to or as? decline in, by, from, to or for?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account