What does "dispensation" mean?
The act of dispensing or dealing out; distribution
Dispensation
noun
noun ·4 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of dispensing or dealing out; distribution
- Grammar: dispensation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abandonment, abjuration, administration, administration.
- Useful contrasts: chaos, confusion, disorder.
- Usage evidence: Tom applied for a dispensation to hand his assignment in late.
How to use "dispensation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dispensation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dispensation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dispensation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dispensation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dispensation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abandonment" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dispensation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of dispensing or dealing out; distribution countable, uncountable
"a fair dispensation of money"
- 2 the act of dispensing (giving out in portions) wordnet
- 3 The distribution of good and evil by God to man. countable, uncountable
"Shall we not accompt theſe a part of Gods dispenſation, and therefore good in the Fountaine, from whence they flowed"
- 4 an exemption from some rule or obligation wordnet
- 5 That which is dispensed, dealt out, or given; that which is bestowed on someone countable, uncountable
"Bowman certainly lost no time in travelling south to obtain his dispensation once he had published the sermon"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a share that has been dispensed or distributed wordnet
- 7 A system of principles, promises, and rules ordained and administered; scheme; economy countable, uncountable
"the Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian dispensations"
- 8 The relaxation of a law in a particular case; permission to do something forbidden, or to omit doing something enjoined; exemption. countable, uncountable
"Special grounds for giving dispensation to see classified documents include research purposes."
- 9 The relaxation of a law in a particular case; permission to do something forbidden, or to omit doing something enjoined; exemption.; In the Roman Catholic Church, an exemption from some ecclesiastical law, or from an obligation to God which a person has incurred of his own free will (oaths, vows, etc.). countable, uncountable
"[H]e had a dispensation for conforming in outward observances to the Protestant faith."
Example
"Tom applied for a dispensation to hand his assignment in late."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dispensation"?
Common synonyms include: abandonment, abjuration, administration, administration, administrations, admission.
How do you use "dispensation" in a sentence?
Tom applied for a dispensation to hand his assignment in late.
Etymology
From Old French despensacion, from Latin dispensātiō. By surface analysis, dispens(e) + -ation.