determine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
determines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
determined,
past participle, past
-
determining
present participle
-
to conclude or ascertain, as after reasoning, observation, etc.
- Synonyms:
- verify
-
to settle or decide (a dispute, question, etc.) by an authoritative or conclusive decision.
-
to cause, affect, or control; fix or decide causally.
Demand for a product usually determines supply.
- Synonyms:
- influence
-
to give direction or tendency to; impel.
-
Geometry. to fix the position of.
-
Logic. to limit (a notion) by adding differentiating characteristics.
-
Chiefly Law. to put an end to; terminate.
-
to lead or bring (a person) to a decision.
-
to decide upon.
verb (used without object)
-
determines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
determined,
past participle, past
-
determining
present participle
-
to come to a decision or resolution; decide.
-
Chiefly Law. to come to an end.
verb
-
to settle or decide (an argument, question, etc) conclusively, as by referring to an authority
-
(tr) to ascertain or conclude, esp after observation or consideration
-
(tr) to shape or influence; give direction to
experience often determines ability
-
(tr) to fix in scope, extent, variety, etc
the river determined the edge of the property
-
to make or cause to make a decision
he determined never to marry
-
(tr) logic to define or limit (a notion) by adding or requiring certain features or characteristics
-
(tr) geometry to fix or specify the position, form, or configuration of
two points determine a line
-
law to come or bring to an end, as an estate or interest in land
-
(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
-
quasi-determineverb
-
redetermineverb
-
interdetermineverb (used with object)
-
undeterminingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
determinesimple
-
determinessimple
-
have determinedperfect
-
has determinedperfect
-
am determiningprogressive
-
are determiningprogressive
-
is determiningprogressive
-
have been determiningperfect progressive
-
has been determiningperfect progressive
Past
-
determinedsimple
-
had determinedperfect
-
was determiningprogressive
-
were determiningprogressive
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary of the Common Core
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The inquiry was established to determine if the bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Some of the samples are expected to be sent abroad for detailed examination to help determine the age of the remains.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
That allowed the team to determine whether the two Z bosons displayed the correlations expected from quantum entanglement.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
The researchers now want to determine more precisely how calcium triggers the contraction and how the organism prepares itself to repeat the process.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Maggie is probably referring to phrenology, the pseudoscience where head shape is thought to determine personality traits.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Known to physicists as big G, this fundamental number determines the strength of gravitational attraction throughout the universe.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
A trial of the facts is an option that is open to prosecutors if a court determines that a person is unfit to stand trial and criminal proceedings cannot go ahead.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
A deductible determines how much one needs to pay out of pocket before their insurance coverage starts paying for claims.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
If the league determines that Nacua violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could be suspended.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
It is the placement of the nodes that determines which wavelengths "fit" into a musical instrument "container."
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Speaking on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff on Monday, Farage said: "I've known Helen for many, many years. She is a determined campaigner."
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
After consulting an independent adviser, Ingenia said its board determined that the revised proposal still substantially undervalued the company and wasn’t in the best interests of its shareholders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Authorities at the Temple in Jerusalem determined important dates using the prevailing calendar, but the Qumran sect rejected the idea that human leaders should have that power.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
“Whether or not he plays is to be determined, and so we’ll see how he’s feeling.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Still, like any good journalist, he was determined to root out the truth.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
America’s homegrown narratives also have a distinctively national flavor, portraying the choices made by individuals as determining their fate.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
"Although lipids make up only a small proportion of rice, they are critical in determining its nutritional value," explains lead author Associate Professor Siddabasave Gowda.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
But even that isn’t guaranteed, since determining what qualifies for the exemption is left to the commission.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Selling the property for fair market value would also give your cousin funds, which would be included if determining his eligibility.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Succinct, yet magisterial, this formula captured the essence of the interactions between heredity, chance, environment, variation, and evolution in determining the form and fate of an organism.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
