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 In a July 15 episode of her podcast, Unlocked, the reality television star, 27, decided to speak about undergoing liposuction for the first time, detailing the reasoning behind her decision to undergo the knife. Michelle Lee, People.com, 15 July 2025 Believers may decide to refrain from voting or choose a third party because, in their view, neither majority candidate is acceptable. Esau McCaulley, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025 Every candidate has already been vetted for safety; A.I. can identify low-hanging fruit, and then humans can decide whether the pairing is ripe for picking. Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 15 July 2025 When did you guys decide to get back into the studio? Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for decide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decide
Verb
  • Southwest passengers now have to choose between four different price tiers of tickets when booking a flight: Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, Choice Extra.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 23 July 2025
  • Democrats could choose to leave the state during the special session, breaking the necessary quorum and bringing legislative operations to a standstill.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • The four semifinalists were determined based on point differential with the Raptors (+15.8), Thunder (+14.8), Hornets (+12.7) and Kings (+11.5) finishing ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves (+9.5) and Atlanta Hawks (+8.0).
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025
  • But then-Attorney General Frank Kelley determined that Serotkin could not run for his seat again despite the preemptive resignation.
    Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Horowitz spent decades arranging for Sondheim’s archives to come to the Library of Congress.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
  • The controversy comes at a time the United States is trying to arrange a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • But if a real estate investment isn’t in the cards at the moment, settle for the next best thing by renting one of the many villas currently listed on Airbnb.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 14 July 2025
  • The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Unlike other coastal destinations that easily succumb to high-rise condos, touristy restaurants, and run-of-the-mill souvenir shops, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea understands that growth doesn’t always equal progress.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
  • With millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok and Substack, the platform is positioned towards helping young people better understand the news, with regular free newsletters and podcasts.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Instead of lifting wages systemically, Congress is opting to privilege a narrow slice of income for a narrow subset of workers, conditioned on proper paperwork.
    Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
  • Over the two decades that Al-Waleed was in a coma, his father opted to keep him on life support and often shared social media footage of himself and other family members praying for his son's recovery.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • My Melody and Kuromi work hard to prepare for a sweets-making contest judged by the world-famous pastry chef Pistachio.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • The food truck team operators are judged on their culinary skills each week in a new town challenged with the task of creating dishes that will outsell their competition to stay in the competition.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Employers believe that workers in specific departments, like sales and marketing (85%) and human resources (78%), will derive significant value from AI implementation.
    Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Getty Images The Beehive State derives its nickname from the industriousness of its workforce.
    Scott Cohn, CNBC, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decide. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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