choose
Americanverb (used with object)
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chooses,
present (3rd person singular)
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chose,
past, past participle (Obsolete)
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chosen,
past participle
-
choosing
present participle
-
to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference.
She chose Sunday for her departure.
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to prefer or decide (to do something).
He chose to run for election.
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to want; desire.
I choose moving to the city.
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(especially in children's games) to contend with (an opponent) to decide, as by odd or even, who will do something.
I'll choose you to see who gets to bat first.
verb (used without object)
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chooses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
chose,
past, past participle (Obsolete)
-
chosen,
past participle
-
choosing
present participle
-
to make a choice, or select from two or more possibilities.
Accepted by several colleges, the boy chose carefully.
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to be inclined.
You may stay here, if you choose.
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(especially in children's games) to decide, as by means of odd or even, who will do something.
Let's choose to see who bats first.
verb phrase
idioms
verb
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to select (a person, thing, course of action, etc) from a number of alternatives
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(tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to consider it desirable or proper
I don't choose to read that book
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(intr) to like; please
you may stand if you choose
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to be obliged to
we cannot choose but vote for him
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(of two people or objects) almost equal
Synonym Usage
Choose, select, pick, elect, prefer indicate a decision that one or more possibilities are to be regarded more highly than others. Choose suggests a decision on one of a number of possibilities because of its apparent superiority: to choose a course of action. Select suggests a choice made for fitness: to select the proper golf club. Pick, an informal word, suggests a selection on personal grounds: to pick a winner. The formal word elect suggests a kind of official action: to elect a representative. Prefer, also formal, emphasizes the desire or liking for one thing more than for another or others: to prefer coffee to tea.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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choosernoun
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rechooseverb
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prechooseverb (used with object)
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choosableadjective
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unchoosableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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choosesimple
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choosessimple
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have choseperfect
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have chosenperfect
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has choseperfect
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has chosenperfect
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am choosingprogressive
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are choosingprogressive
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is choosingprogressive
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have been choosingperfect progressive
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has been choosingperfect progressive
Past
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chosesimple
-
had choseperfect
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had chosenperfect
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was choosingprogressive
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were choosingprogressive
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had been choosingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of choose
First recorded before 1000; Middle English chosen, chēsen, Old English cēosan; cognate with Gothic kiusan, Old High German kiosan ( German kiesen ); akin to Greek geúesthai “to enjoy,” Latin gustāre “to taste” ( see gusto)
Explanation
The hardest part of adopting a dog from a shelter is when you have to choose which one to bring home with you. When you pick out one pup from the mass of barking canines, that's the dog you choose. Any time you decide on one thing over another — whether it's a seat on a plane, a new pair of shoes, or who you want to marry — you choose it. The Old English word that choose comes from is ceosan, which means something closer to "taste."
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:
If they’re going to rise and lift up our country, their families need the freedom to choose the education that’s best for them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
In response to questions from The Times, Wright said the board allowed Adelkoff to choose her own apartment “as an alternative to hotel lodging.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
"First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it's up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader," Zelensky told ABC News.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
The average Medicare beneficiary can choose from among 35 plans in 2027, compared with 39 plans in 2026, according to healthcare policy and research firm KFF.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
I don’t know why Nyame didn’t do that mouth-disappearing thing to me when he got angry at me, but I choose to count my blessings.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
An AI bot that goes on its merry way and informs the user what it’s been up to only when it chooses to?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
My sister always chooses places where it’s cheapest for her to fly.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
When asked whether he feels the club has been punished enough, and if a suspension for him would be excessive, Eckert chooses his words carefully.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
France chooses a new president in April and early May.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
We’re allowed to change every year, but pretty much everyone chooses the same club, so when Meg Rivers comes up to me and says, “Oh, so you’re choosing the ensemble again?”
From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan
I’m glad you chose to do that here.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
She chose to dedicate a part of the garden with a willow tree to Mabel.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
He chose Maria, his eldest daughter, as his assistant in managing the family’s estate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
After years of negotiations, most of the territory eventually chose independence as three new countries with strong defense ties to the U.S.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2026
“He chose this place well. The moon will be above us soon.”
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
"That finding shaped our choice of cooling configuration from the outset," with "advanced air cooling" chosen instead of water cooling.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
No name has been chosen for the property.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
Unisuper had chosen not to buy Firmus stock in the IPO, Pearce said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The authorities were chosen after being identified as having the greatest levels of deprivation and childhood obesity.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
But Brickbane had clearly known his time in Deadwood was ending when Clare was chosen to replace him.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Many rose varieties have a fragrance but Wong also suggests choosing plants with scented leaves for when flowers are not in bloom.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Jamie Mejarus, the civil attorney representing five surrogates suing Xuan and Zhang for fraud, has alleged in court filings that the couple also presented an attorney of their choosing to the mothers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Traditionally, researchers have concentrated on choosing the right starting materials, catalysts, electrode surfaces, voltages, and solution compositions.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
From ditching garages to choosing less expensive materials, she breaks down the trade-offs that helped them save without sacrificing style.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Because they didn’t want to be distracted choosing which way to go—or backtracking when they made a wrong choice and hit a dead end.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
