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:
I would wander in with my perfectly sized tote, allow whatever charmed me to determine dinner and wait for the ingredients to organize themselves.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
The council’s vote and the mayor’s signature will determine the future of the business and life he built.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
The researchers wanted to determine how the plant produces diterpenoid alkaloids, a group of chemicals that are highly toxic but may also have useful medical properties.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026
Puricelli said he has enjoyed trying out several premium formats in his life, but found that the theater itself can determine whether the upgrade is worthwhile.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
It was the king of Syracuse who asked Archimedes to determine whether his crown was pure gold or had been mixed with lead, a task beyond the abilities of all the scientists at the time.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
If a joint study determines that indigenous enrichment is warranted, Americans would build the facility under a secretive “black box” arrangement, avoiding the transfer of sensitive enrichment technology to Riyadh.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The study does not show that finger length directly determines brain size.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Classic on July 18 with hopes of qualifying for the U.S. championships, which determines the national team roster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
“We’ve built a model where access, not ability, determines who gets developed,” Bill Carter, a former sports agent who has worked with amateur athletes, told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
The exam that determines everything is tomorrow—same day Arthur leaves.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
The bank will expand them next year into more countries and currencies that will be determined by demand, Chief Financial Officer Mike Santomassimo said in an interview.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
It added that their causes of death can only be determined after test results are out.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Whatever the case, Moreno appears to have determined that the questions and criticisms had become too loud to ignore.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
A simpler and more effective solution would be for state insurance regulators to mandate public disclosure of all ratings of private credit, along with explanations on how they were determined.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
She was determined that the land should be preserved rather than exploited.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Another oncologist chided the FDA for failing to establish a precise benchmark for determining what constitutes a benefit of “large magnitude.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
They got that result due to a state formula for determining who gets air conditioning.
From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026
"The court took into account the sharp rise in the value of the defendant's shareholdings when determining the property division ratio," Friday's court statement said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Much of that uncertainty comes from the difficulty of determining how quickly Antarctica will lose ice.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
Our final test involved determining a pattern in four pairs of dominoes and prophesying what the fifth pair might look like.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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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