administer
Americanverb (used with object)
-
administers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
administered,
past participle, past
-
administering
present participle
-
to manage (affairs, a government, etc.); have executive charge of.
to administer the law.
-
to bring into use or operation: to administer last rites.
to administer justice;
to administer last rites.
-
to make application of; give.
to administer medicine.
-
to supervise the formal taking of (an oath or the like).
-
Law. to manage or dispose of, as a decedent's estate by an executor or administrator or a trust estate by a trustee.
verb (used without object)
-
administers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
administered,
past participle, past
-
administering
present participle
-
to contribute assistance; bring aid or supplies (usually followed byto ).
to administer to those in need of aid.
-
to perform the duties of an administrator.
She administers quite effectively.
verb
-
(also intr) to direct or control (the affairs of a business, government, etc)
-
to put into execution; dispense
administer justice
-
to give or apply (medicine, assistance, etc) as a remedy or relief
-
to apply formally; perform
to administer extreme unction
-
to supervise or impose the taking of (an oath, etc)
-
to manage or distribute (an estate, property, etc)
Synonym Usage
See rule.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
administrantnoun
-
nonadministrantadjective
-
self-administeredadjective
-
self-administeringadjective
-
unadministeredadjective
-
well-administeredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
administersimple
-
administerssimple
-
have administeredperfect
-
has administeredperfect
-
am administeringprogressive
-
are administeringprogressive
-
is administeringprogressive
-
have been administeringperfect progressive
-
has been administeringperfect progressive
Past
-
administeredsimple
-
had administeredperfect
-
was administeringprogressive
-
were administeringprogressive
-
had been administeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of administer
First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin administrāre “to assist, carry out, manage the affairs of” ( see ad-, minister); replacing Middle English amynistre (with a- 5 ), from Middle French aministrer
Explanation
When you administer something, you give it to others. This can apply to a dose of medicine, an order, a survey, or a punishment. Administer can also mean to run something — such as a school or an office. The word administer belongs to a family of words, all having to do with being in charge: administration, administrator, and administrative. Strangely, administer comes from the Latin word minister meaning "servant." So, if your boss or principal administers an instruction that you disagree with, just think of that person as your servant. Doing so will help you carry out your duties with a smile.
Vocabulary lists containing administer
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Preschools receive money from the feds to administer the program—$12 billion this year—with no requirements that they improve outcomes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
The staff who created the clinic thought: why not use one of those vacant units to administer vaccines?
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
It will also administer and implement a process to decommission and store heavy weapons, military production sites, depots of weapons, and tunnels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
In fact, estates with little or no money can sometimes be the most difficult to administer because debts, creditors and property issues still have to be addressed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Only the strongest wizards in the district could administer this potion—a kind of paste made from the burned and ground bones of leopards and lions, and mixed with roots and herbs.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
The College Board, which administers the SAT, said about 6.7% of students taking the exam got extra time last year, compared with 2% a decade ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
The third-party certifying body administers random testing throughout the growing process and tests each product that arrives at the company’s New Jersey warehouse before it is released to stores, according to the website.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
The Essequibo region comprises more than two thirds of Guyana, which currently administers it.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
The drop represents nearly 47% of the state’s participants in the program better known as food stamps and includes about 180,000 children, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which administers the program.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026
“You might be surprised who administers the penalties.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
He removed the tumour and part of the diseased jawbone, but the electrochemotherapy was administered to target any remaining cancerous cells.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Keytruda is administered at the same time to help make sure the patient’s immune response activates against the leftover cancer cells.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Ideally, the H5N1 vaccine should be administered in two doses with a gap of three-to-four weeks, Todd said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
According to a statement from the Greenville, S.C., police department, medical assistance was administered to Panettiere after an acquaintance placed a 911 call, before Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
When Farmer and his team intervened, proposing a very aggressive combination of MDR drugs—based largely on Farmer’s guesswork—they needed official approval from the Peruvian doctors before the drugs could be administered.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
They did this either by giving dietary supplements containing nitrate and iron or by administering synthetically produced DNIC.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
But Plymouth isn’t Congress, and a municipal historical commission isn’t administering federal Indian affairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The 36-year-old Democratic congresswoman from New York shared videos of the fertility treatment on social media over the weekend, including footage of herself administering hormone injections.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Bystanders – including Craig Bowe, who made three rescue attempts – sprang into action as the tragedy unfolded, administering CPR to the Rahmans.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
I remember the thought I had, after Johanna told me about the Amity administering the memory serum to Dauntless patrols—that when you take a person’s memories, you change who they are.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
