1
2
a
: to have a preference for
choose one car over another
b
: decide
chose to go by train
1
: to make a selection
finding it hard to choose
2
: to take an alternative
—used after cannot and usually followed by but
when earth is so kind, men cannot choose but be happy—
J. A. Froude
J. A. FroudeSynonyms
Examples of choose in a Sentence
Each year thousands of college students choose volunteer-service trips over beach bumming during their spring breaks and summer vacations.
—Edward M. Kennedy, Time, 22 Sept. 2008
I had been invited to choose certain things that I might want from the house, but although there were indeed a couple of things that I would have liked, I was withheld from making the trip …
—Alice Adams, "Why I Write,"
in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987
… as an instructor at New York University he chose to live by himself in lodgings that for the time must have been very expensive …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
Any summary I might try to write for the rest of the novel would be worthless and I don't choose to waste my time at it.
—Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
Edward M. Kennedy, Time, 22 Sept. 2008
I had been invited to choose certain things that I might want from the house, but although there were indeed a couple of things that I would have liked, I was withheld from making the trip …
—Alice Adams, "Why I Write,"
in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987
… as an instructor at New York University he chose to live by himself in lodgings that for the time must have been very expensive …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
Any summary I might try to write for the rest of the novel would be worthless and I don't choose to waste my time at it.
—Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Del Rey wore her hair up in a messy bun and chose a lined lip for glam.
—Mikelle Street, WWD, 25 Oct. 2024
MrBeast chose to respond to an aggregated news account, DramaAlert, to defend the product, and has stayed silent since.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Or, choose to install stained glass windows to interior doors in your home like the door to your pantry, or closet, or sunroom.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024
Readers chose between two high school seniors, Dajea Williams of Messmer High School and Josselin Becerra of Sheboygan South High School.
—Madison Lammert, Journal Sentinel, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choose 
Mikelle Street, WWD, 25 Oct. 2024
MrBeast chose to respond to an aggregated news account, DramaAlert, to defend the product, and has stayed silent since.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Or, choose to install stained glass windows to interior doors in your home like the door to your pantry, or closet, or sunroom.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024
Readers chose between two high school seniors, Dajea Williams of Messmer High School and Josselin Becerra of Sheboygan South High School.
—Madison Lammert, Journal Sentinel, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choose
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'choose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near choose
Cite this Entry
“Choose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choose. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share