decide

American  

[dih-sahyd] / dɪˈsaɪd /

verb (used with object)

decides, present (3rd person singular) decided, past participle, past deciding present participle

1. to solve or conclude (a question, controversy, or struggle) by giving victory to one side.

   The judge decided the case in favor of the plaintiff.

2. to determine or settle (something in dispute or doubt).

   to decide an argument.

3. to bring (a person) to a decision; persuade or convince.

   The new evidence decided him.

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verb (used without object)

decides, present (3rd person singular) decided, past participle, past deciding present participle

1. to settle something in dispute or doubt.

   The judge decided in favor of the plaintiff.

2. to make a judgment or determine a preference; come to a conclusion.

decide British  

/ dɪˈsaɪd /

verb

1. (may take a clause or an infinitive as object; when intr, sometimes foll by on or about) to reach a decision

   decide what you want

   he decided to go

2. (tr) to cause (a person) to reach a decision

   the weather decided me against going

3. (tr) to determine or settle (a contest or question)

   he decided his future plans

4. (tr) to influence decisively the outcome of (a contest or question)

   Borg's stamina decided the match

5. (intr; foll by for or against) to pronounce a formal verdict

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Usage

What are other ways to say decide?

To decide is to settle something in dispute or doubt. How is it different from resolve and determine? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• decider
  noun
• redecide
  verb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• deciding
  present
• decided
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• decide
  simple
• decides
  simple
• have decided
  perfect
• has decided
  perfect
• are deciding
  progressive
• am deciding
  progressive
• is deciding
  progressive
• have been deciding
  perfect progressive
• has been deciding
  perfect progressive

Past

• decided
  simple
• had decided
  perfect
• was deciding
  progressive
• were deciding
  progressive
• had been deciding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will decide
  simple
• will have decided
  perfect
• will be deciding
  progressive
• will have been deciding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of decide

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English deciden, from Middle French decider, from Latin dēcīdere, literally, “to cut off,” equivalent to dē- de- + -cīdere (combining form of caedere “to strike, cut down”; see -cide ( def. ))

Explanation

To decide is to make up your mind to do (or not do) something. People decide hundreds of things a day, from what to eat to what TV shows to watch. Deciding involves making decisions — choosing what to do. There are a lot of things in life to decide, such as where to live, what school to go to, where to apply for a job, and what kind of clothes to buy and wear. At any restaurant, there are hundreds of options: you have to decide which is right for you. You can also say that if a touchdown ended a game, it decided the game.

Example Sentences

The lesson is right there in the film: Audiences decide what gets remembered.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

The jury will decide if she committed the acts alleged, but it cannot result in a criminal conviction.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

"Anything can work when two sides decide that they want something to be done," he said, adding that they were looking to his organisation to tell "them what is needed".

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Jurors decide whether the immense machinery of prosecution and punishment will continue forward or come to a halt.

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2026

He was trying to decide where to go, to the right or to the left.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• agree
• choose
• conclude
• determine
• elect
• end
• establish
• resolve
• rule
• select
• set
• vote