determine
Americanverb (used with object)
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determines,
present (3rd person singular)
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determined,
past participle, past
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determining
present participle
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to conclude or ascertain, as after reasoning, observation, etc.
- Synonyms:
- verify
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to settle or decide (a dispute, question, etc.) by an authoritative or conclusive decision.
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to cause, affect, or control; fix or decide causally.
Demand for a product usually determines supply.
- Synonyms:
- influence
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to give direction or tendency to; impel.
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Geometry. to fix the position of.
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Logic. to limit (a notion) by adding differentiating characteristics.
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Chiefly Law. to put an end to; terminate.
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to lead or bring (a person) to a decision.
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to decide upon.
verb (used without object)
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determines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
determined,
past participle, past
-
determining
present participle
-
to come to a decision or resolution; decide.
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Chiefly Law. to come to an end.
verb
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to settle or decide (an argument, question, etc) conclusively, as by referring to an authority
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(tr) to ascertain or conclude, esp after observation or consideration
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(tr) to shape or influence; give direction to
experience often determines ability
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(tr) to fix in scope, extent, variety, etc
the river determined the edge of the property
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to make or cause to make a decision
he determined never to marry
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(tr) logic to define or limit (a notion) by adding or requiring certain features or characteristics
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(tr) geometry to fix or specify the position, form, or configuration of
two points determine a line
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law to come or bring to an end, as an estate or interest in land
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(tr) to decide (a legal action or dispute)
Usage
What does determine mean? Determine means to conclude, as after reasoning or observing, as in After considering all my options, I’ve determined which college I want to attend. Generally, to determine something is to come to a conclusive decision from a place of authority on the subject. Determine can also mean to cause or control, as in How much homework my teacher assigns will determine whether I can go to the game tonight. Determine is also used to mean to give direction to, as a boss might determine what tasks their employees will do. Example: I have determined that the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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quasi-determineverb
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redetermineverb
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interdetermineverb (used with object)
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undeterminingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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determinesimple
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determinessimple
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have determinedperfect
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has determinedperfect
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am determiningprogressive
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are determiningprogressive
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is determiningprogressive
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have been determiningperfect progressive
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has been determiningperfect progressive
Past
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determinedsimple
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had determinedperfect
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was determiningprogressive
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were determiningprogressive
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had been determiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of determine
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French determiner, from Latin dētermināre “to mark out and fix boundaries,” equivalent to dē- prefix indicating separation + termināre “to bound, limit”; see de-, terminate
Explanation
If you determine something, you figure it out or settle a question, like when, after checking paws and hands, you determine that it's not the dog that ate your candy stash, but your kid sister. Determine comes from the Latin for "bring to a close," and when you determine something, you have closed all the questions you have about it and are quite sure you know the answer. If you become a detective, you'll have to determine who did the crime. After working through a mathematical problem, you determine the value of X. Determine can also mean influence. Your childhood spent in your grandmother's delightful kitchen might have determined your future career as a baker.
Vocabulary lists containing determine
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
She just wanted to teach Martin a lesson, but soon, social services intervene to determine whether the elderly couple has to be separated for Leslie’s safety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Doctors use these factors to estimate a person's cardiovascular risk and determine whether preventive medications are appropriate.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Longer and larger studies are needed to determine whether the findings translate into lasting health benefits or changes in cardiovascular disease risk.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
The IRS said income brackets that determine how much Americans pay in taxes will adjust higher by about 3.2% for tax year 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
“How can I? The science fair will do more to determine who wins the Excelsior Award than anything else this term!”
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
At the heart of the discovery is a basic principle of materials science: The way a material's smallest components are arranged determines how that material behaves.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Under state law, magistrates are to “impose the least onerous conditions” when deciding bail and should set bail “as low as the court determines is necessary” to assure the defendant returns to court.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
This type of logic, which determines the law of the land by interpreting obscure bits of history over utilizing common sense, is what Gladwell calls “bananas.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
The network determines the fees that are charged each time a card is used, but the money is mostly pocketed by the issuer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It also determines the grammatical category of the phrase: in this case it is a verb phrase, a phrase built around a verb.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
After Thursday’s plunge I was determined to write and let readers know.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Despite shared concerns about landing jobs after graduation, both are determined to succeed in the business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Investigators haven’t determined the cause of the fire, but a hazardous-material crew was on the scene due to the presence of a lithium-ion battery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
It said criminal proceedings were held to decide whether a criminal offence had been committed, while police disciplinary proceedings determined whether an officer had breached professional standards and, if so, what sanction should be imposed.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
So he was determined to send Gingersnipes into an Afterlife where she would be happy.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
The results highlight the potential of precision medicine, an approach that considers individual characteristics, including genetics, when determining which treatments may be most effective.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
The challenge is determining which fragments are biologically useful and which are simply leftovers from normal protein processing.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
We have a lot of reporting determining the key races, but if you look down the ballot beyond the candidates, you have initiatives and other legislation driven by sentiment.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
If the proposition passes, the state attorney general will be responsible for determining what services fall into that category.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Imagine the awesome and awful sight of these three sisters pressed together, presiding over his crib, determining his future.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
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