option
Americannoun
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options
plural
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the power or right of choosing.
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something that may be or is chosen; choice.
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the act of choosing.
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an item of equipment or a feature that may be chosen as an addition to or replacement for standard equipment and features.
a car with a long list of extra-cost options;
a telephoto lens option for a camera.
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a privilege acquired, as by the payment of a premium or consideration, of demanding, within a specified time, the carrying out of a transaction upon stipulated terms; the right, as granted in a contract or by an initial payment, of acquiring something in the future.
We bought one lot and took a 90-day option on an adjoining one.
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Football. a play in which a back has a choice of either passing or running with the ball.
verb (used with object)
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options,
present (3rd person singular)
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optioned,
past participle, past
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optioning
present participle
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to acquire or grant an option on.
The studio has optioned his latest novel for film adaptation.
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to provide with optional equipment.
The car can be fully optioned at additional cost.
noun
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the act or an instance of choosing or deciding
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the power or liberty to choose
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an exclusive opportunity, usually for a limited period, to buy something at a future date
he has a six-month option on the Canadian rights to this book
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commerce the right to buy ( call option ) or sell ( put option ) a fixed quantity of a commodity, security, foreign exchange, etc, at a fixed price at a specified date in the future See also traded option
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something chosen; choice
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short for local option
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not to commit oneself
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See soft option
verb
Synonym Usage
See choice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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optionsimple
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optionssimple
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have optionedperfect
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has optionedperfect
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am optioningprogressive
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are optioningprogressive
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is optioningprogressive
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have been optioningperfect progressive
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has been optioningperfect progressive
Past
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optionedsimple
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had optionedperfect
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was optioningprogressive
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were optioningprogressive
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had been optioningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of option
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin optiōn-, stem of optiō “choice,” equivalent to op(tāre) “to select” ( see opt) + -tiō -tion
Explanation
An option is a possibility or choice. In football, a quarterback with three wide receivers has (at least) three throwing options. An option is something that can be chosen — it's a possibility. Even something crazy — like jumping off a cliff — is always an option, just not a good one. There are lots of technical uses of option in business and legal writing. If you have the option on a house, you have the right to buy it. In sports, a free agent has the option of joining another team. No matter what you do, it's nice to have options. When we have no options, we feel trapped.
Vocabulary lists containing option
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1
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The SAT: Language of the Test, 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:
"It came with a lot of sacrifice, it came with a lot of hard work. I'm glad that I'm able to present that as an option for British talent going forward."
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Ferguson’s skill set ostensibly makes him an option as a third receiver behind stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The e-commerce giant said customers will have the option to get items delivered in three hours or less if they pay a fee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Readers weigh in on the American manufacturing boom, the advantage of option sellers over buyers, the case for preferred ETFs, and U.S.
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
For Yoshida, abandoning the premises was not an option.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
MVP have plenty of options they could introduce from their stable.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
All Flock did was come up with a very user-friendly system that collates all the information quickly, with good search options.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
It could be particularly important for people with advanced retinal degeneration who currently have no effective treatment options.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
The Angels’ current stadium lease extends through 2032, and the team has options to extend the lease through 2038.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Farmer was here today to consult, not dictate, so he diplomatically reviewed the treatment options with the doctors in the room.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Alex Freeland was optioned to triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
In a pair of corresponding moves, the Dodgers optioned pitcher Kyle Hurt to triple-A Oklahoma City and designated pitcher Charlie Barnes for assignment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
Land has been optioned by the same producer behind Hamnet, and O'Farrell confirms she plans to write the screenplay.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“It just feels like a nicely optioned, loaded car. The tech is fantastic,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
Somebody'd optioned another planet in the same system, and I hadn't counted on the competition.
From Citadel by H. R. van Dongen
Instead, they are optioning land, which helps them generate higher returns and remove risk from their balance sheet, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Reading said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
David’s contract was selected again by the Angels last weekend, one of many infield moves that included a trade for Eduardo Escobar and optioning Jared Walsh and Michael Stefanic to triple A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2023
The Mariners made a roster move before Tuesday’s game, recalling right-handed pitcher Darren McCaughan from Class AAA Tacoma and optioning right-hander Juan Then to the Rainiers.
From Seattle Times ● May 30, 2023
Orioles: Baltimore reinstated Bradish from the injured list after optioning RHP Logan Gillaspie to Triple-A Norfolk.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 19, 2023
This favourite gap he had just finished optioning again, and now again he meant to keep at his old quest.
From The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox
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.
