Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

determined

American  
[dih-tur-mind] / dɪˈtɜr mɪnd /

adjective

  1. resolute; staunch.

    the determined defenders of the Alamo.
    Synonyms:
    unfaltering, inflexible

  2. decided; settled; resolved.

  3. Grammar. (of a phonetic feature) predictable from its surrounding context.

determined British  
/ dɪˈtɜːmɪnd /

adjective

  1. of unwavering mind; resolute; firm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does determined mean? Determined means firmly set in one’s decision or course of action, especially with the aim of achieving a particular goal. Someone who’s determined to do something is extremely motivated and unlikely to quit or change their mind. Someone who’s determined in general has a very strong desire to achieve their goals. Someone who’s determined in this way is said to be showing determination—the quality of being firm in one’s purpose. Determined is also the past tense form of the verb determine, meaning to decide or settle in an authoritative way or conclude after observation. The term undetermined uses this sense of the word. Something that’s undetermined has not been conclusively decided or settled. (It’s not used to describe someone who’s not particularly motivated.)Example: I am absolutely determined to finish this race, even if I have to crawl across the finish line.

Other Word Forms

  • determinedly adverb
  • determinedness noun
  • postdetermined adjective
  • undetermined adjective

Etymology

Origin of determined

First recorded in 1490–1500; determine + -ed 2

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.

Last quarter’s energy-sector insider sales reflected a mix of trades determined by prearranged trading plans, as well as ad hoc sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

"Early advice was sought from the Crown Prosecution Service, but detectives determined that there was insufficient evidence to bring forward criminal charges."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Pacific time at a venue in the Los Angeles area that is yet to be determined.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

By tracing its path backward over billions of years, they determined that the star originated in the Large Magellanic Cloud before eventually being pulled into the Milky Way.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

If the cottonmouths hadn’t been enraged before, they were now, determined to destroy the possessed branch that had just bludgeoned three of their friends.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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.