decide

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb decide differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of decide are determine, resolve, rule, and settle. While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.

she decided to sell her house

When can determine be used instead of decide?

Although the words determine and decide have much in common, determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.

determined the cause of the problem

In what contexts can resolve take the place of decide?

The synonyms resolve and decide are sometimes interchangeable, but resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.

he resolved to quit smoking

When might rule be a better fit than decide?

In some situations, the words rule and decide are roughly equivalent. However, rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.

the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

When is settle a more appropriate choice than decide?

While the synonyms settle and decide are close in meaning, settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.

the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decide Some legislators are itching to undo what voters decided (in Broward, a higher hourly wage won approval from an astounding 75.2% of voters; in Palm Beach, 68.7% in 2020). Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2025 Medical teams will evaluate the crew’s health, as is routine after astronauts return from space, before deciding next steps. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025 The match was all but decided on the second playoff hole, played on the iconic 17th at TPC Sawgrass. David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 But New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle took exception to the bill, asserting that prosecutors already consider someone’s history including domestic violence in deciding sentences. Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decide
Verb
  • Experiences Over Things In addition, luxury consumers are increasingly choosing to indulge in experiences over material goods and jewelry is caught in that crosswind too.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Wayfair has an entire pillow storefront with over 50,000 styles to choose from, including indoor/outdoor options, reversible designs, and more.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Understanding financial interest and signature authority is key to determining whether a filing obligation exists.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The first of which is Virginia, an assessor who determines whether prospective parents like Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) are worthy of raising a child in their future world where resources are slim.
    Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The institute once arranged for a Purim care package to be airdropped to a Jewish Coast Guard member 700 miles off the coast of Alaska, for example.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Every morning, the monks gathered there, arranging themselves on the long stone benches, to discuss the matters of the day.
    Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • He’s settled well on Merseyside, building tight bonds with fellow pros like Darwin Núñez and Alexis Mac Allister, and knows the Kop’s rocking song about his path to Merseyside and goalscoring endeavors.
    Henry Flynn, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Majors and Jabbari settled the civil suit in November 2024.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Now, scientists are trying to help water managers better understand the salt risks that crucial water supplies face from land to sea as global temperatures warm.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Getting more people to understand who is homeless, Are and Portway agree, is key to getting better results for people.
    Christie Zizo, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Graves opted not to seek reelection, and Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat who is Black, won the race for District 6.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Justin opted for an oversized white shirt teamed with black baggy pants and white shoes.
    Escher Walcott, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That culminated with Richardson being the most pivotal pick of Ballard’s nine-year tenure, and if he’s judged by that selection more than all of the others, that’s what comes with the territory after not finding an answer sooner.
    James Boyd, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The whiskeys are judged on appearance, nose, taste, finish, balance, character, and complexity.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Most workers derive their greatest sense of personal accomplishment and job satisfaction from real work.
    Mark Settle, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Come for the deadly mysteries, stay for the familial love triangles, abandonment issues, and fish-out-of-water comedy derived from the identity theft of an identical twin.
    Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decide. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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