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:
“It is our job to sift through the sales pitch to determine what is real and what is bluster,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Taco Bell did not have to determine how a microscopic parasite entered an international lettuce supply chain.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Additional clinical research will be needed to determine whether the effects seen in mice translate to people.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026
But first, determine whether you had state-regulated insurance.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 12, 2026
After much thinking, she could determine on nothing better, than Harriet’s returning the visit; but in a way that, if they had understanding, should convince them that it was to be only a formal acquaintance.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
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Newsom appoints members to the foundation board, which determines what expenses to cover in the governor’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
They also studied how the process varied with momentum transfer, which determines the spatial scale being examined inside the nucleus.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026
They believe in a higher power or spiritual force, but don’t typically embrace a more personalized belief that the God of the Bible determines the course of their lives and is active in human affairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
A deductible determines how much one needs to pay out of pocket before their insurance coverage starts paying for claims.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Besides simply counting how many people actually live in America, that census tally also determines how many seats each state gets in Congress and how many electors each state receives in a presidential election.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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I contacted the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to investigate, but they determined that I had not provided them with enough information.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
Burnham has previously spoken about his father, who had Alzheimer's, when explaining why he was so determined to reform adult social care in England.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Piper and Morse then distributed promising varieties to agricultural experiment stations around the country, where researchers determined which ones performed best under local conditions.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Drew Findling, also on Banks’ defense team, accused Grant of being a “master of deception” who was determined to get revenge for the death of Bennett, his cousin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
“Well, ma’am, I’d like to fill out an application,” I said, tightrope-walking between being determined and perhaps seeming impudent.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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Professor Kasey McCall-Smith said the point of the pre-trial proceedings had been determining "what evidence gets in and what evidence doesn't get in".
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
For U.S. investors, key to assessing the impact of the yen move will be determining whether Japan is bolstering its currency by selling down its holdings of more than $1 trillion of U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
But determining who made the decision proved more difficult.
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026
By determining which frogs belong to which species and mapping where they occur, the researchers have also created a stronger scientific basis for conservation in Madagascar, where many forests are rapidly disappearing.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
“That’s the one,” said Harry, foreseeing a great danger and determining to prevent it immediately.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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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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