DECIDE Synonyms: 184 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

decide

verb

di-ˈsīd

Definition of decide next

as in to choose

to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to determine

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to arrange

to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of we waited for our captors to decide our fate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to settle

to make final, definite, or beyond dispute the huge sum that they were offering decided the matter: we would sell the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to understand

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information the commanding officer decided that the soldier was indeed telling the truth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Examples 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 When the victim turns out to be the son of a dangerous gangster, Romero decides to cover up the crime, risking everything to protect his son. —

Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025 Bezos, the Amazon founder who also owns the Washington Post, decided to withhold the newspaper’s endorsement of Harris over Trump in the presidential race. —

Nik Popli, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025 The new leadership at the S.E.C. is likely to decide on rules that could significantly increase the value of Ethereum, Bitcoin and tokens at World Liberty Financial. —

Karen Yourish, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025 Like Philipp Plein who imagined them in a more daring way by presenting them ripped, while Acne Studios decided to fold the hem to show a floral pattern. —

Michel Mejía, Glamour, 5 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for decide

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decide

Verb

Rather than revolutionizing its industry through bold, innovative, and risky endeavors, Toyota chose incremental but relentless improvement.

— H. James Wilson and Paul R. Daugherty, Harvard Business Review, 24 Jan. 2025
But — and this is a notable but — four of those five lost in the era beween 1945 and 2009, when there were only five best picture nominees and the category’s winner was chosen by a popular vote, as opposed to the preferential, or ranked, ballot that was employed prior to and since that period.

— Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025