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Decide Definition and Meaning

By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 5, 2024
Decide means to make a choice or come to a resolution after consideration. e.g, She had to decide between two job offers.
Decide

Decide Definitions

To make a final choice or judgment.
She must decide which college to attend.
To opt for one option among many.
He needs to decide on a vacation destination.
To come to a definitive conclusion.
The committee will decide on the proposal tonight.
To bring to an end by making a judgment.
The final goal will decide the match.
To reach a conclusion or make up one's mind about something.
He will decide his future career path soon.
To settle or resolve a question or dispute.
The judge will decide the case tomorrow.
To commit to a course of action.
They will decide to invest in the new project.
To determine the outcome of a situation.
The last question will decide the winner.
To reach a conclusion or form a judgment or opinion about (something) by reasoning or consideration
Decide what to do.
To cause to make or reach a decision
"The presence of so many witnesses decided him at once to flee" (Robert Louis Stevenson).
To settle conclusively all contention or uncertainty about
Decide a case.
Decided the dispute in favor of the workers.
To influence or determine the outcome of
A few votes decided the election.
To pronounce a judgment; announce a verdict.
To reach a decision; make up one's mind.
(ambitransitive) to resolve (a contest, problem, dispute, etc.); to choose, determine, or settle
The election will be decided on foreign policies.
We must decide our next move.
Her last-minute goal decided the game.
(intransitive) to make a judgment, especially after deliberation
You must decide between good and evil.
I have decided that it is healthier to walk to work.
(transitive) to cause someone to come to a decision
(obsolete) to cut off; to separate
To cut off; to separate.
Our seat denies us traffic here;The sea, too near, decides us from the rest.
To bring to a termination, as a question, controversy, struggle, by giving the victory to one side or party; to render judgment concerning; to determine; to settle.
So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then.
To determine; to form a definite opinion; to come to a conclusion; to give decision; as, the court decided in favor of the defendant.
Who shall decide, when doctors disagree?
Reach, make, or come to a decision about something;
We finally decided after lengthy deliberations
Bring to an end; settle conclusively;
The case was decided
The judge decided the case in favor of the plaintiff
The father adjudicated when the sons were quarreling over their inheritance
Cause to decide;
This new development finally decided me!
Influence or determine;
The vote in New Hampshire often decides the outcome of the Presidential election
To influence or determine the outcome of something.
Your vote can decide the election.
To make a selection or choice.
You must decide what to wear to the party.

Decide Snonyms

Conclude

To bring (something) to an end.
They concluded the meeting with a vote.

Determine

To settle or conclude (a dispute, question, or uncertainty) through authoritative or judicial decision.
The jury will determine the outcome of the case.

Resolve

To settle or find a solution to (a problem, dispute, or contentious matter).
They resolved their differences through mediation.

Choose

To pick out or select (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives.
She chose the red dress for the party.

Opt

To make a choice from a range of possibilities.
After much thought, he opted for early retirement.

Settle on

To make a final decision about.
They finally settled on a date for the wedding.

Select

Carefully choose as being the best or most suitable.
He selected his words carefully.

Commit

To pledge or bind (a person or an organization) to a certain course or policy.
She committed herself to the project.

Elect

To choose (someone) to hold public office or some other position by voting.
She was elected as the team captain.

Finalize

To complete the last part of a plan, trip, project, etc.
We need to finalize the plans for the event.

Decide Idioms & Phrases

Decide in a heartbeat

To make a decision very quickly.
She loved the house so much that she decided in a heartbeat to make an offer.

Decide on the flip of a coin

To make a decision randomly or by chance.
They couldn't choose where to eat, so they decided on the flip of a coin.

Decide with one's feet

To make a decision by taking action, especially by leaving or showing up.
When the company culture soured, many employees decided with their feet and left.

Decide at the crossroads

To make a significant decision at a critical point in life.
After graduation, she stood at the crossroads and decided to travel the world.

Decide in one's shadow

To make a decision influenced by someone else's preferences or actions.
Growing up, she always felt she had to decide in her brother's shadow.

Decide the tide

To make a decision that significantly changes the course of events.
His invention decided the tide in how we now approach renewable energy.

Decide against all odds

To make a decision despite significant obstacles or opposition.
She decided against all odds to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Decide against the grain

To make a decision that goes against common beliefs or practices.
He decided against the grain and chose a career path everyone doubted.

Decide under the gun

To make a decision under pressure.
With the deadline approaching, they had to decide under the gun.

Decide behind closed doors

To make a decision in private, away from public view.
The board decided behind closed doors, leaving employees anxious about the outcome.

Decide between the lines

To make a subtle or implied choice not explicitly stated.
Reading his letter, she had to decide between the lines what he truly meant.

Decide without a second thought

To make a decision quickly and without hesitation.
He offered her the job, and she decided without a second thought.

Decide at the eleventh hour

To make a decision at the last possible moment.
They finally decided at the eleventh hour to cancel the event due to the storm warning.

Decide in the heat of the moment

To make a decision impulsively during a moment of high emotion.
They ended their friendship when he decided in the heat of the moment.

Decide through rose-colored glasses

To make a decision with an overly optimistic view of the situation.
She decided to invest through rose-colored glasses, ignoring the clear risks.

Decide in a vacuum

To make a decision without considering external factors or influences.
It's dangerous to decide in a vacuum without looking at the market trends.

Decide under a cloud

To make a decision while under suspicion or in a troubled state.
The committee had to decide under a cloud of controversy.

Decide with an iron fist

To make a decision in a very strict or authoritarian manner.
The CEO decided with an iron fist, leaving no room for discussion.

Decide on a dime

To make a quick decision.
In emergency situations, he's known to decide on a dime.

Decide by a hair's breadth

To make a decision by a very narrow margin.
The election was so close that it was decided by a hair's breadth.

Decide Example Sentences

It was hard for him to decide between two equally good options.
They had to decide whether to go on the trip or not.
The teacher asked the students to decide on a topic for their project.
They will decide the fate of the old building.
The jury will decide the verdict after hearing all the evidence.
She couldn't decide what to eat for lunch.
It's time to decide what your priorities are.
She must decide how to allocate her time effectively.
The game's outcome will decide who advances to the finals.
It's difficult to decide when you have so many choices.
She had to decide quickly before the opportunity passed.
You need to decide whether to accept the job offer or not.
He needs to decide which path to take at the crossroads.
The team captain will decide the batting order for the match.
The council will decide on the new policy next week.

Common Curiosities

How is decide used in a sentence?

You need to decide what you want for dinner.

What is a stressed syllable in decide?

The stressed syllable in decide is the second syllable: "cide."

How do we divide decide into syllables?

Decide is divided into syllables as follows: de-cide.

How many syllables are in decide?

There are two syllables in decide.

What is the first form of decide?

The first form (base form) is "decide."

Why is it called decide?

It is called decide because it refers to the act of making a choice or resolution after consideration.

What is the second form of decide?

The second form (past simple) is "decided."

What is the third form of decide?

The third form (past participle) is "decided."

What is the pronunciation of decide?

Decide is pronounced as /dɪˈsaɪd/.

What is the root word of decide?

The root word of decide is "decide," derived from the Latin "decidere," meaning "to cut off, determine."

What is the singular form of decide?

The singular form is "decide."

What is the plural form of decide?

Decide does not have a plural form as it is a verb.

Is decide a noun or adjective?

Decide is a verb.

Is the word “decide” a Direct object or an Indirect object?

Decide is a verb that can take a direct object (e.g., "Decide your fate").

What is the verb form of decide?

The verb form is "decide."

Is decide a vowel or consonant?

The first letter of decide, "d," is a consonant.

Is decide a countable noun?

Decide is not a noun; it is a verb.

What is another term for decide?

Another term for decide is "determine."

Is decide an abstract noun?

No, decide is not a noun; it is a verb.

Is the word decide imperative?

Yes, decide can be used in the imperative form (e.g., "Decide now").

Which conjunction is used with decide?

Conjunctions such as "and" or "or" can be used with decide depending on the context.

Is decide an adverb?

No, decide is not an adverb.

Is decide a collective noun?

No, decide is not a collective noun.

Is the decide term a metaphor?

Decide is not typically used as a metaphor; it is used to describe the act of making a choice.

Is the word decide Gerund?

The gerund form of decide is "deciding."

Which determiner is used with decide?

Determiners are not typically used with decide as it is a verb.

Which vowel is used before decide?

There is no specific rule for using a vowel before decide. It depends on the context of the sentence.

What part of speech is decide?

Decide is a verb.

What is the opposite of decide?

The opposite of decide is "hesitate" or "vacillate."

Is decide a negative or positive word?

Decide is a neutral word; it can be positive or negative depending on the context.

Which preposition is used with decide?

Prepositions such as "on" or "between" can be used with decide depending on the context (e.g., "Decide on a plan").

Which article is used with decide?

Articles are not typically used with decide as it is a verb.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.

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