determine
Americanverb (used with object)
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determines,
present (3rd person singular)
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determined,
past participle, past
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determining
present participle
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to conclude or ascertain, as after reasoning, observation, etc.
- Synonyms:
- verify
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to settle or decide (a dispute, question, etc.) by an authoritative or conclusive decision.
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to cause, affect, or control; fix or decide causally.
Demand for a product usually determines supply.
- Synonyms:
- influence
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to give direction or tendency to; impel.
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Geometry. to fix the position of.
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Logic. to limit (a notion) by adding differentiating characteristics.
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Chiefly Law. to put an end to; terminate.
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to lead or bring (a person) to a decision.
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to decide upon.
verb (used without object)
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determines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
determined,
past participle, past
-
determining
present participle
-
to come to a decision or resolution; decide.
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Chiefly Law. to come to an end.
verb
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to settle or decide (an argument, question, etc) conclusively, as by referring to an authority
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(tr) to ascertain or conclude, esp after observation or consideration
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(tr) to shape or influence; give direction to
experience often determines ability
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(tr) to fix in scope, extent, variety, etc
the river determined the edge of the property
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to make or cause to make a decision
he determined never to marry
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(tr) logic to define or limit (a notion) by adding or requiring certain features or characteristics
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(tr) geometry to fix or specify the position, form, or configuration of
two points determine a line
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law to come or bring to an end, as an estate or interest in land
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(tr) to decide (a legal action or dispute)
Usage
What does determine mean? Determine means to conclude, as after reasoning or observing, as in After considering all my options, I’ve determined which college I want to attend. Generally, to determine something is to come to a conclusive decision from a place of authority on the subject. Determine can also mean to cause or control, as in How much homework my teacher assigns will determine whether I can go to the game tonight. Determine is also used to mean to give direction to, as a boss might determine what tasks their employees will do. Example: I have determined that the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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quasi-determineverb
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redetermineverb
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interdetermineverb (used with object)
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undeterminingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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determinesimple
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determinessimple
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have determinedperfect
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has determinedperfect
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am determiningprogressive
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are determiningprogressive
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is determiningprogressive
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have been determiningperfect progressive
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has been determiningperfect progressive
Past
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determinedsimple
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had determinedperfect
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was determiningprogressive
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were determiningprogressive
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had been determiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of determine
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French determiner, from Latin dētermināre “to mark out and fix boundaries,” equivalent to dē- prefix indicating separation + termināre “to bound, limit”; see de-, terminate
Explanation
If you determine something, you figure it out or settle a question, like when, after checking paws and hands, you determine that it's not the dog that ate your candy stash, but your kid sister. Determine comes from the Latin for "bring to a close," and when you determine something, you have closed all the questions you have about it and are quite sure you know the answer. If you become a detective, you'll have to determine who did the crime. After working through a mathematical problem, you determine the value of X. Determine can also mean influence. Your childhood spent in your grandmother's delightful kitchen might have determined your future career as a baker.
Vocabulary lists containing determine
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
Latigo Peak uses moving averages and other technical indicators to determine its criteria for selling stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
She just wanted to teach Martin a lesson, but soon, social services intervene to determine whether the elderly couple has to be separated for Leslie’s safety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Researchers say additional studies are needed to determine whether it offers a better strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Since these readings determine royalty and tax payments, the lab estimated that the errors could lead to an overstatement or understatement of a single well’s production value by as much as $36 million a year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
A Jesuit mathematician did the geometry calculations to determine the distance to a stockpile of gunpowder the Dutch had brought ashore and the angle of elevation at which the cannon should be set.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
What determines which events come first and which happen later?
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
Under state law, magistrates are to “impose the least onerous conditions” when deciding bail and should set bail “as low as the court determines is necessary” to assure the defendant returns to court.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
Voter registration records are based on a person’s physical residential address, which determines the districts where they can vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
The network determines the fees that are charged each time a card is used, but the money is mostly pocketed by the issuer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Dobzhansky could now restate the essential truth of Mendel’s discovery—a gene determines a physical feature—by generalizing that idea across multiple genes and multiple features: a genotype determines a phenotype.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Although some question whether Mogadishu is safe enough for a young woman to be working as a tour guide, Sucdi is determined to continue.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Steven says his teenage experiences have made him more determined to enjoy the chances he has now.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
After Thursday’s plunge I was determined to write and let readers know.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
I chose the road less traveled, or, rather, it was chosen for me and I’m determined to stick it out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
If I encouraged Ma, she’d charge ahead, determined to turn a possibility into a firm reality.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
He said late Tuesday that he’s got some priorities for his second term, including making more progress on deputy gangs and determining “what are we going to do with Men’s Central Jail.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
Because so many populations collapsed before scientists knew the fungus existed, determining whether it was responsible has been particularly difficult.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
We have a lot of reporting determining the key races, but if you look down the ballot beyond the candidates, you have initiatives and other legislation driven by sentiment.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
The designation also kicks off an accelerated regulatory review process, whereby officials are tasked with determining how the expansion proceeds and under what conditions, as opposed to whether it requires approval.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
The Department declared, however, that it would continue to cooperate with the Forest Service “in determining ways to minimize adverse effects.”
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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