resolve
Americanverb (used with object)
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resolves,
present (3rd person singular)
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resolved,
past participle, past
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resolving
present participle
-
to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something).
I have resolved that I shall live to the full.
- Synonyms:
- confirm
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to separate into constituent or elementary parts; break up; cause or disintegrate (usually followed byinto ).
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to reduce or convert by, or as by, breaking up or disintegration (usually followed by to orinto ).
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to convert or transform by any process (often used reflexively).
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to reduce by mental analysis (often followed byinto ).
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to settle, determine, or state in a formal vote or formal expression of opinion or intention, as of a deliberative assembly.
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to deal with (a question, a matter of uncertainty, etc.) conclusively; settle; solve.
to resolve the question before the board.
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to clear away or dispel (doubts, fears, etc.); answer.
to resolve any doubts we may have had.
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Chemistry. to separate (a racemic mixture) into optically active components.
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Music. to cause (a voice part or the harmony as a whole) to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.
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Optics. to separate and make visible the individual parts of (an image); distinguish between.
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Medicine/Medical. to cause (swellings, inflammation, etc.) to disappear without suppuration.
verb (used without object)
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resolves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resolved,
past participle, past
-
resolving
present participle
-
to come to a determination; make up one's mind; determine (often followed by on orupon ).
to resolve on a plan of action.
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to break up or disintegrate.
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to be reduced or changed by breaking up or otherwise (usually followed by to orinto ).
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Music. to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.
noun
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resolves
plural
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a resolution or determination made, as to follow some course of action.
- Synonyms:
- decision
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firmness of purpose or intent; determination.
verb
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(takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to decide or determine firmly
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to express (an opinion) formally, esp (of a public meeting) one agreed by a vote
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to separate or cause to separate (into) (constituent parts or elements)
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(usually reflexive) to change, alter, or appear to change or alter
the ghost resolved itself into a tree
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to make up the mind of; cause to decide
the tempest resolved him to stay at home
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to find the answer or solution to; solve
to resolve a problem
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to explain away or dispel
to resolve a doubt
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to bring to an end; conclude
to resolve an argument
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med to cause (a swelling or inflammation) to subside, esp without the formation of pus
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(also intr) to follow (a dissonant note or chord) or (of a dissonant note or chord) to be followed by one producing a consonance
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chem to separate (a racemic mixture) into its optically active constituents
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physics
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to distinguish between (separate parts) of (an image) as in a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument
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to separate (two adjacent peaks) in a spectrum by means of a spectrometer
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maths to split (a vector) into its components in specified directions
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an obsolete word for dissolve
noun
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something determined or decided; resolution
he had made a resolve to work all day
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firmness of purpose; determination
nothing can break his resolve
Usage
What are other ways to say resolve?
To resolve something is to come to a definite or earnest decision about it. How is it different from decide and determine? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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resolvesimple
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resolvessimple
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have resolvedperfect
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has resolvedperfect
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am resolvingprogressive
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are resolvingprogressive
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is resolvingprogressive
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have been resolvingperfect progressive
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has been resolvingperfect progressive
Past
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resolvedsimple
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had resolvedperfect
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was resolvingprogressive
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were resolvingprogressive
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had been resolvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resolve
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb resolven “to alter, loosen, temper,” from Latin resolvere “to unfasten, loosen, release,” equivalent to re- re- + solvere solve
Explanation
To resolve is to settle or make a decision about something — often formal. A college's board of directors might resolve to recruit more minority students. As a noun, resolve refers to a strong determination to do something. If you make a New Year's resolution to exercise every day, you'll need plenty of resolve to stick with your program. The verb descends from Middle English resolven "to dissolve," from Latin resolvere "to untie." In English, the obsolete sense of "to dissolve" can be seen in this line from Shakespeare: "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew."
Vocabulary lists containing resolve
Words for a New Year
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List 7
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19th Amendment (1920)
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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:
If an independent team at NIST's campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland, could reproduce the French measurement using essentially the same approach, it could help resolve the disagreement surrounding big G.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
In the aftermath, O'Neill spoke about frustration, failure and psychological damage, how low moments like these hit you hard and test your resolve.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Treasury yields declined in European morning trade on Thursday, reflecting markets’ increased trust in the Federal Reserve’s resolve to bring inflation back to target in a timely manner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Rupar’s resolve is admirable, but he’s right that this isn’t about him at all.
From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026
A kind of resolve suddenly built in her chest.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
The new confirmation also resolves a question astronomers have been debating for about 10 years.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
Additionally, some coverage directly challenges the idea that Newsom’s ideological positioning resolves questions about electability, arguing that he remains squeezed between factions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
The document release resolves a lawsuit brought by advocacy group 9/11 Health Watch, which sued the city for the documents.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
"I hope the situation resolves quickly, especially since we have just started the new school year after a year overshadowed by wartime conditions," she added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
It takes the joy out of making my resolves, but here they are.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
“It was among the first glimpses of how this model is operating in practice. But we don’t have a great picture on whether it was resolved or whether it will continue to be an issue.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
A representative for Walter’s conglomerate, TWG Global, has said the company is proud of the business it built and “confident these matters will be resolved favorably.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Matthews said until the Blythe prison site’s infrastructure is separated from neighboring Ironwood State Prison and its bond obligations are resolved, the property can’t move through the state’s process for dispensing with surplus property.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni also called for the matter to be resolved "and to favour unity over division".
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
He, too, like Laius, thought to make it impossible for the oracle to come true; he resolved never to see Polybus again.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Resolving a severe debt problem slowly, he argued, can prove far more expensive over time than resolving it quickly through a crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
In Thurman’s case, despite clear signs of an ectopic pregnancy, two emergency departments sent her home without resolving the complication.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
He called on resolving these "now" and "not in winter".
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
The latest DNA identifications provide new insight into what happened during the expedition's final stages while also resolving a 166-year-old mystery surrounding one sailor's identity.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
Jack asked, lightly rubbing the back of his head, then resolving not to do that anymore when new pain shot through his temples.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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.
