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.
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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.
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something that is preferred or preferable to others; the best part of something.
Mare's Nest is the choice in the sixth race.
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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
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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
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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)
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Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Common Core Grades 9–10, List 5
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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:
But Srivastava sees things differently, saying that the “financing choice is sensible” and Marvell “is using an expensive stock to buy an overpriced business.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
"He actually was left with no other choice," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Furthermore, Los Angeles has a multicultural Laker fan base, and I disagree with Shaquille O’Neal on his divisive choice of words for “Snowtime Lakers” — not funny.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Yet Mr. de la Bédoyère, by a careful choice of subjects, also provides fresh insights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
They both knew that they didn’t have a choice, so they tossed their remaining weapons at his feet, and he stowed them swiftly under his cape.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
"The University Management Board has agreed to identify approximately £10m of savings this year and, depending on the final position with public funding, further difficult choices may have to follow this academic year," Greer said.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Short-priced horses dominated the weekend, with seven favorites, five second choices and two third choices winning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Even if an employee did take an interest and pick their own investments, they’d have only about 15-30 choices of mutual funds, most of which would align to broad-market indexes or sectors.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
He hopes it helps them understand why their mom made the choices she did and that climbing was part of who she was.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Wondering if somehow her choices would be more rational.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
Among some of the choicer nuggets of that conversation:
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2015
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
By artistic arrangement and device they will accommodate themselves to almost any house, somewhere, and few choicer prizes can be bought to-day.
From The Oriental Rug A Monograph on Eastern Rugs and Carpets, Saddle-Bags, Mats & Pillows, with a Consideration of Kinds and Classes, Types, Borders, Figures, Dyes, Symbols, etc. Together with Some Practical Advice to Collectors. by W. D. (William DeLancey) Ellwanger
Ms. Chimo is a delight in the choicest supporting role as the peculiarly overeducated Saunders, whose unsolicited advice and unwanted commentary rattle Julia’s already fragile nerves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
Hard as it is to conceive of now, one family, the Rindges, once owned about 25 miles of the choicest coastal property in Southern California: Malibu.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2025
But Natalie Morales, Scott MacArthur and Zahn McClarnon as Maddie’s townie pals, who provide sardonic working class solidarity for our heroine, have some of the picture’s choicest bits.
From New York Times ● Jun. 21, 2023
They’re known around the world for going after the choicest cuts from their prey.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 11, 2023
And behind it at the head is stowed a bag full of choicest edibles.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
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