determine
Usage
What are other ways to say determine?
To determine is to arrive at a conclusion after reasoning or observation: He determined that there was no available path to victory. To resolve is to show firmness of purpose: He resolved to ask for a promotion. To decide is to make up one's mind as to what shall be done and the way to do it: He decided to go today.
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:
Malaysian authorities issued a final report in 2018 for the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crash, saying they couldn’t determine why the flight went off course and couldn’t rule out a hijacker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
A sheriff will instead hear evidence in the case and determine whether there are grounds for a conviction.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Researchers still need to scale up the approach for human use, and clinical trials will be required to determine whether it is safe and effective in people.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
Nobody pauses to determine whether everyone wants enough chips to justify them.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
He requested DNA samples of Bobby’s nephews to determine, through their familial heredity, whether the samples taken from the gravesite actually matched Bobby’s DNA.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
But the company determines the behavior of each new version, and the military must keep up to date on the latest offerings, the Washington appeals court found.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
Because gravity determines the shape and motion of stellar streams, astronomers can study them to learn how mass is distributed throughout a galaxy.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
The scion above it determines the type of fruit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
A trial of the facts is an option that is open to prosecutors if a court determines that a person is unfit to stand trial and criminal proceedings cannot go ahead.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
This is why it is gravity that determines the evolution of the universe.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
The Russian health agency meanwhile said Wednesday that it had determined "there are no epidemic risks for the population".
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Previously, grad students could borrow up to the full cost of attendance as determined by the school.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
ZVERNEC, Albania—On the doorstep of a Jared Kushner-linked development site on the Adriatic Sea, a group of determined villagers set out in late May to protest barbed-wire fencing preventing their access to a coastal peninsula.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
They could face a fine or jail term, to be determined by the court.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
I haven’t seen her since the trip to Rocklands a couple of weeks ago and I’m determined to make sure I don’t upset her again.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
While determining there were no epidemic risks, Rospotrebnadzor said it had implemented a set of "anti-epidemic measures" as a precaution and in line with sanitary legislation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Weather will be key to determining market tightness over the heating season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Researchers at the Florida Museum have now conducted a study aimed at determining where the pottery came from and who made it.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
The task of determining which expenses fall on what side of the ledger would belong to the state attorney general.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr. Bennet’s visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Vocabulary lists containing determine
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Vocabulary of the Common Core
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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