choice
Americannoun
-
choices
plural
-
an act or instance of choosing; selection.
Her choice of a computer was made after months of research. His parents were not happy with his choice of friends.
-
the right, power, or opportunity to choose; option.
The child had no choice about going to school.
-
the person or thing chosen or eligible to be chosen.
This book is my choice.
He is one of many choices for the award.
-
an alternative.
There is another choice.
-
an abundance or variety from which to choose.
a wide choice of candidates.
-
something that is preferred or preferable to others; the best part of something.
Mare's Nest is the choice in the sixth race.
-
a carefully selected supply.
This restaurant has a fine choice of wines.
-
a choice grade of beef.
adjective
idioms
noun
-
the act or an instance of choosing or selecting
-
the opportunity or power of choosing
-
a person or thing chosen or that may be chosen
he was a possible choice
-
an alternative action or possibility
what choice did I have?
-
a supply from which to select
a poor choice of shoes
-
preferred; favourite
adjective
-
of superior quality; excellent
choice wine
-
carefully chosen, appropriate
a few choice words will do the trick
-
vulgar or rude
choice language
Usage
What is a basic definition of choice? A choice is an act of choosing something from multiple options or is one of the options you can choose from. Choice also describes something as being carefully selected. Choice has several other senses as a noun and an adjective. When a person makes a choice, they consider different options and select one of them. For example, you might look at different colors of paint for your bedroom and decide that you want red paint. Your choice of paint was red. When making a choice, the options can be physical things, like food to eat, or nonphysical things, like which direction to drive or what to name a baby. Choice comes from the verb choose, which means to select something from different options.
- Real-life examples: Life is full of choices, ranging from what to eat for breakfast to what kind of job you want to have. Sadly, many people regret the choices they have made in life. We often face really tough choices where we don’t want to pick any of the options available.
- Used in a sentence: She was really happy with her choice of becoming a Hollywood actress.
- Used in a sentence: I’m pretty sure going into the woods at night was the wrong choice.
- Used in a sentence: We narrowed down the menu to a few choice dishes.
Synonym Usage
Choice, alternative, option, preference all suggest the power of choosing between things. Choice implies the opportunity to choose: a choice of evils. Alternative suggests that one has a choice between only two possibilities. It is often used with a negative to mean that there is no second possibility: to have no alternative. Option emphasizes free right or privilege of choosing: to exercise one's option. Preference applies to a choice based on liking or partiality: to state a preference. See fine 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of choice
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chois, from Old French, derived from choisir “to perceive, choose,” from Germanic; see choose
Explanation
When you come to a fork in the road, you have to make a choice. If you can't decide, maybe you should flip a coin. If you have to choose between two schools, the one you end up going to is your choice. If there's only one option, we say we "have no choice," while "the choice is yours" means it's up to you. Choice can also be an adjective for something of high quality, something worth choosing. The choice apples had all been picked by the time you arrived, so you had to settle for the bruised ones.
Vocabulary lists containing choice
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Common Core Grades 9–10, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The bolder choice would have been to commit to expressing the despairing lessons of this world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
He subsequently defended his choice of words when asked by a reporter from the Press Association whether the language was appropriate.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The video, clearly fake, was a spoof of Sarkisian’s real-life choice to blow off an interview with Rowe in the aftermath of Texas’ win over the Buckeyes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
As private label grabs a bigger slice of the retail market, the older, bigger consumer packaged-goods makers are now left with a choice: beat the retailers or join them.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
I didn’t know why but I knew she wouldn’t have to do it again because nobody wants to go through life wrapped in gum or skinned bald, and that would be your choice.
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
Retirement can bring with it reflection on life choices, but McKeown is at peace with his religious path.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
America’s homegrown narratives also have a distinctively national flavor, portraying the choices made by individuals as determining their fate.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
You leave haunted by the characters’ bad choices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
You need to believe that you can wield control over your choices and resist outside forces that try to influence you.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
“I see what you mean. We want to make our own choices, but they want us to do what’s best for them. In the end, they’re not so different from each other.”
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
She had even choicer words for her ex-boyfriend Walter Hopps, describing his “Clark Kent glasses that chopped his face into rectangular squares and made him seem as square and cool as celery.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 21, 2021
And so the weak part of the post-spinoff trio will clearly be eBay itself, the lean marketplace rump that will be left once the choicer meat is sliced away.
From Time ● Feb. 4, 2015
It's amazing that such fragile items survive - amazing the prices the choicer items can now attract.
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2014
Before the play began I heard a middle-aged man gleefully quoting some of the script’s choicer period insults, a reminder that for certain fans “The Boys in the Band” retains undeniable camp appeal.
From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2010
When the fruit and vegetable gardens are combined, the smaller and choicer fruit trees only should be admitted, such larger-growing hardy fruits as apples, pears, plums, cherries, &c., being relegated to the orchard.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7 "Horticulture" to "Hudson Bay" by Various
Among the choicest: The champion skier from Norway starts his day with a breakfast that his father finds revolting, and he’s “too afraid” of downhill cycling to consider switching sports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026
Now, for the real candidates for the choicest place in our pitchman pantheon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
They’re known around the world for going after the choicest cuts from their prey.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 11, 2023
Reiser thinks the high-end shoe store has, or had, one of the choicest retail locations in the city.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2023
The choicest potatoes, the tastiest morsel, the tenderest bit of whatever there is, that’s Madame’s motto.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
