apportion

/əˈpɔrʃən/

Other forms: apportioned; apportioning; apportions

To apportion is to divide something into shares and hand it out. With 11 guests at your birthday party, it makes sense to cut the cake into 12 slices and apportion one to each — leaving one slice for you!

The verb apportion means "allocate" or "divvy up," and it's often used to talk about the way money is distributed. For example, your parents might evenly apportion an allowance to each of their children, or apportion slightly less money to your youngest sibling. In government, power is also apportioned in various ways, as when laws apportion a certain number of congressional representatives to each state.

Definitions of apportion

1. verb

   distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose
   synonyms: allocate

   types:

   reallocate, reapportion

   allocate, distribute, or apportion anew

   ration, ration out

   distribute in rations, as in the army

   award, present

   give, especially as an honor or reward

   certificate

   present someone with a certificate

   bestow, confer

   present

   type of:

   allot, assign, portion

   give out
2. verb

   give out as one's portion or share
   synonyms: deal, divvy up, portion out, share

   type of:

   distribute, give out, hand out, pass out

   give to several people