Meaning & use

administer

verb·Academic

To manage or oversee the running of an organization, or to formally give or apply something, such as medicine.

See it in a sentence

The nurse administered the vaccine carefully before recording the dose in the patient's chart.

A small committee administers the charity's funds and reports to donors each year.

A note on using this word

Administer takes a direct object, as in 'administer a test' or 'administer justice'; it does not mean simply 'to work.'

Words with a similar meaning

managedispense

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To formally give someone an oath, or to arrange for a legal or ceremonial procedure.

The judge administered the oath before the witness began testifying.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “administer”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.