I thought it was a tea shop, but it was a marijuana dispensary.
Source: tatoeba (8545127)
Dispensary
Synonyms for "dispensary" (36 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (8)
Noun(2 words)
Strong matches (10)
Related words (18)
Noun(2 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: apothecary, blood bank, charity ward, chemist, chemist.
- Sentence evidence is available for dispensary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, moby, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "dispensary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "dispensary"
Keep "dispensary" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "dispensary" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "dispensary", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "dispensary" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesMore specific
6 entriesclinical dispensarycommunity pharmacydrugstorehospital dispensaryretail pharmacyuniversity dispensary
Collocations
6 entriescommunity dispensarydispensary counterdispensary hourshospital dispensarypharmacy dispensaryuniversity dispensary
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriesTranslations
20 translations across 11 languages.
Catalan
1 entries- dispensari noun (place for dispensing)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 藥房 /药房 noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Czech
2 entries- výdejna noun (place for dispensing)
- výdejna noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Dutch
1 entries- apotheek noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Finnish
4 entries- -varasto noun (place for dispensing)
- apteekki noun (office for dispensing drugs)
- jakelupiste noun (place for dispensing)
- lääkekaappi noun (office for dispensing drugs)
French
1 entries- dispensaire noun (place for dispensing)
German
4 entries- Apotheke noun (office for dispensing drugs)
- Arzneimittelausgabe noun (place for dispensing)
- Ausgabestelle für Medikamente noun (place for dispensing)
- Krankenhausapotheke noun (place for dispensing)
Italian
1 entries- dispensario noun (place for dispensing)
Māori
1 entries- whakaipurangi rongoā noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Spanish
2 entries- dispensario noun (place for dispensing)
- dispensario noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Welsh
1 entries- fferyllfa noun (office for dispensing drugs)
Sample sentences
5 total sentences available.
When do you want to hit up the dispensary?
Source: tatoeba (10517796)
Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is now legal in 28 U.S. states for either medical or recreational use. Of those states, four of them legalized recreational marijuana last November, including California. At a dispensary in Los Angeles, the experience for customers is more similar to a trip to the winery or high-end retail store.
Source: tatoeba (11156463)
You need a medical card to shop at the dispensary.
Source: tatoeba (11535983)
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "dispensary"?
Closest matches include apothecary, blood bank, charity ward, chemist, chemist.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "dispensary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.