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’m not in the moment wondering if I’m being too greedy,” said Angel Gutierrez, a full-time options trader who built an agent that scores contracts to determine when to sell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Additional in vivo research will be necessary to determine whether the effects translate beyond cultured cells.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026
At the same time, data compiled by researchers also suggest sharks are innately able to determine what is food, and humans simply don’t fit the bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
"We must establish with absolute clarity the causes of this event, verify compliance with safety protocols and determine any responsibilities that may arise," he said in a post on X.
From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026
That’s what Jonah’s been calling me since January, when we took the standardized tests to determine who would qualify for the honors track in high school and I got sick right before the test started.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
A commercial tree comprises a rootstock, chosen for its tolerance to local conditions, grafted to the upper half which determines what sort of fruit is produced.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
"The Pacific Islands Forum determines what happens here, not any other country."
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
If the league determines that they violated the league’s personal-conduct policy, they could be suspended.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The crackdown also comes amid questions over how Hegseth determines who gets access to Pentagon information.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
A choice made by the manufacturer when the computer was designed determines this, and nothing can change it now.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Instead, all of these behaviors could arise from the same underlying Dirac electronic structure, with the outcome largely determined by the carrier density and the size of the Fermi surface in each sample.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026
The jury could have acquited her by reason of insanity, which would then send her to a mental institution, the duration of her stay determined by doctors.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
It was followed by a "second detonation of much greater magnitude," he said, adding that the cause and the material that exploded were still being determined.
From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026
Park officials did not respond to questions on when the bat was determined to be infected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Bat closed Mr. Grayson’s laptop, absolutely determined to become the very best caretaker that a skunk had ever had.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
The biggest issue with judging handball is often determining if the ball did actually hit the arm, and that is the crux of Forest's argument.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Finally, the Senate too plays a major role in determining which nominees get confirmed and removed.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2026
In three years, Jon Rahm has gone from LIV’s prized acquisition to the superstar who will play an outsize role in determining whether the league can continue to exist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
What remains stubbornly difficult is determining what any individual piece of information should mean to the person deciding what to put in her cart.
From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026
Famously he promised Patterson that determining the age of the Earth with his new method would be "duck soup."
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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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