administer
Americanverb (used with object)
-
administers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
administered,
past participle, past
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administering
present participle
-
to manage (affairs, a government, etc.); have executive charge of.
to administer the law.
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to bring into use or operation: to administer last rites.
to administer justice;
to administer last rites.
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to make application of; give.
to administer medicine.
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to supervise the formal taking of (an oath or the like).
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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)
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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.
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to perform the duties of an administrator.
She administers quite effectively.
verb
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(also intr) to direct or control (the affairs of a business, government, etc)
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to put into execution; dispense
administer justice
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to give or apply (medicine, assistance, etc) as a remedy or relief
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to apply formally; perform
to administer extreme unction
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to supervise or impose the taking of (an oath, etc)
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to manage or distribute (an estate, property, etc)
Synonym Usage
See rule.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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administrantnoun
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nonadministrantadjective
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self-administeredadjective
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self-administeringadjective
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unadministeredadjective
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well-administeredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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administersimple
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administerssimple
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have administeredperfect
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has administeredperfect
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am administeringprogressive
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are administeringprogressive
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is administeringprogressive
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have been administeringperfect progressive
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has been administeringperfect progressive
Past
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administeredsimple
-
had administeredperfect
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was administeringprogressive
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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
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Marbury v. Madison (1803)
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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:
But Truman felt that, over time, there was a risk of chronic cyanide poisoning, and that laetrile was far too dangerous to administer to a child.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
After a 15-year hiatus, he was back in 2014, this time as a bishop appointed by Pope Francis to administer the diocese of Chiclayo.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Future versions of the decoy strategy could potentially be designed to work more effectively in the body or be easier to administer.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
The BBC has asked Parks Canada about how much the canine search and rescue programme cost to administer.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Because relatives were sometimes impossible to locate, the committee began to administer the estates of the deceased who had no legal heirs or executors available.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
In Maine, which is among the states most dependent on heating oil, the state’s housing authority, aka MaineHousing, administers the federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2026
The governor’s action will allow the California Air Resources Board, the state’s top air agency which also administers the cap-and-invest program, to begin the public process to link the two state’s markets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Lawton's letter was sent from a company called Equiniti, which administers the pension scheme on behalf of the MoD.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
“We will ensure 100% security of all kinds,” said Abhishek Singh, the director general of the National Testing Agency, which administers the exam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
His wife, Rosita, administers first aid to migrants.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
The American Arbitration Assn. administered an election after a majority of the group signed union cards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
This scheme has been administered through the UK government's Rural Payments Agency, external.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026
He gave no details about how the reward would be administered or funded.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
Charter Amendment LA would change the way public works are administered in Los Angeles, allow the city to lease its underused land to tenants and open the door to greater city involvement in business enterprises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Grandma took a seat on the shelf where they had administered the massage, and Kendra waited beside her.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
As a result, administering the same treatment again may be difficult or impossible, even if its benefits begin to fade.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Ultimately, the state’s Franchise Tax Board, responsible for administering the tax, will have to assess residency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Padilla stressed that the new Senate observers would have no role in administering elections or handling ballots.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
Most of the time, little information is available to the public about the people administering the lethal injection, as the states do not usually share what training they have had.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
He speedily learned that Perrault and François were fair men, calm and impartial in administering justice, and too wise in the way of dogs to be fooled by dogs.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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