distribute on

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The phrase "distribute on" is not correct in written English.
You might use "distribute among" or "distribute to" instead. Example: We will distribute the leftover food among the homeless shelters.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Only 71 companies in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index, which includes virtually all major American companies, have a market value as high as the amount of money that Microsoft will distribute on one day in November.

The New York Times

In a surface layer, positive charges dominate the space charge distribution, whereas the electrons brought back by an external electric field distribute on the top surface.

Surface and Coatings Technology

For example, SlbZIPs in group X show a preferential distribution on chromosome 11, whereas only SlbZIPs in groups IV and V distribute on chromosome 3 and 7, respectively.

BMC Genomics

Aspire is one of four minority-owned channels that the Comcast Corporation agreed to broadly distribute on Comcast cable systems between now and January 2014.

The New York Times

Wallace's widow, Karen, has given the author some of her husband's ashes to distribute on that beautiful island.

The New York Times - Books

Music is quite easy to distribute on the Internet, but nobody has yet found a way of persuading people to pay for it.

The Economist

But she added that she had lost a benefit that her state's government had decided to distribute on a basis other than merit.

The New York Times

Such a program would be easy to distribute on the Internet -- much like DeCSS, a program used to break the encryption system on DVD movie disks.

The New York Times

Hunt also said that he would ensure that lottery distributors spend no more than 5% of what they distribute on administration.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

On top of that, bars can distribute on-site promotions through Audioair's digital display and mobile app, facilitating increased spend, while engaging customers in an in-bar, interactive social and ad network.

TechCrunch

An app that will let me capture the books in a form that I can package and distribute on-line and to mobile phones.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to convey the meaning of dispersing items or information, ensure you pair "distribute" with prepositions such as "among", "across", or "to" for grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "on" after "distribute". This preposition does not accurately reflect the act of allocation or dispersal; instead, choose more appropriate prepositions such as "to", "among", or "across".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "distribute on" functions as a prepositional phrase, but it is grammatically incorrect. It attempts to modify a verb (likely indicating how something is spread or allocated), but the preposition choice is inappropriate, as noted by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "distribute on" appears in various contexts, it's considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI points out that prepositions like "to", "among", or "across" are more appropriate to use with "distribute", depending on the intended meaning. A large number of examples from science and news media reflect the attempt to use this construction, but it's crucial to replace "on" with a more grammatically sound preposition for clear and accurate communication. The prevalence of this error suggests a common misunderstanding, emphasizing the importance of choosing the correct preposition to accurately convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

distribute among

Replaces 'on' with 'among' to indicate distribution within a group.

distribute to

Uses 'to' to indicate a direction or recipient of the distribution.

distribute across

Changes the preposition to indicate a spread over an area or group.

allocate across

Employs 'allocate' instead of 'distribute' with 'across' to specify assignment over a range.

spread over

Uses 'spread' to convey the idea of distribution over a surface or area.

circulate through

Suggests a movement during distribution within a system or network.

dispense to

Indicates a formal or controlled method of distribution.

administer to

Highlights the management aspect of distributing something.

apportion among

Emphasizes a fair or proportional distribution.

divide between

Specifies a distribution split into two or more parts.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "distribute" in a sentence?

Use prepositions like "to", "among", or "across" after "distribute" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example, "distribute the information "to" the team", "distribute the tasks "among" the members", or "distribute the resources "across" the region".

What prepositions are suitable to use with the verb "distribute"?

Common and grammatically correct prepositions to use with "distribute" include "to", "among", and "across", each conveying slightly different meanings related to direction, division, or spread.

Is "distribute on" considered grammatically correct in English?

No, "distribute on" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. More appropriate options are "distribute to", "distribute among", or "distribute across" depending on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between "distribute to", "distribute among", and "distribute across"?

"Distribute to" implies giving to specific recipients, "distribute among" suggests dividing within a group, and "distribute across" indicates spreading over an area or range. Choosing the correct preposition is key for clarity.