1
2
a
: to have a preference for
choose one car over another
b
: decide
chose to go by train
1
: to make a selection
finding it hard to choose
2
: to take an alternative
—used after cannot and usually followed by but
when earth is so kind, men cannot choose but be happy—
J. A. Froude
J. A. FroudeExamples of choose in a Sentence
Each year thousands of college students choose volunteer-service trips over beach bumming during their spring breaks and summer vacations.
—Edward M. Kennedy, Time, 22 Sept. 2008
I had been invited to choose certain things that I might want from the house, but although there were indeed a couple of things that I would have liked, I was withheld from making the trip …
—Alice Adams, "Why I Write,"
in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987
… as an instructor at New York University he chose to live by himself in lodgings that for the time must have been very expensive …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
Any summary I might try to write for the rest of the novel would be worthless and I don't choose to waste my time at it.
—Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
Edward M. Kennedy, Time, 22 Sept. 2008
I had been invited to choose certain things that I might want from the house, but although there were indeed a couple of things that I would have liked, I was withheld from making the trip …
—Alice Adams, "Why I Write,"
in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987
… as an instructor at New York University he chose to live by himself in lodgings that for the time must have been very expensive …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
Any summary I might try to write for the rest of the novel would be worthless and I don't choose to waste my time at it.
—Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
Recent Examples on the Web
With such a prolific and diverse career, Beyoncé has simply too many iconic looks to choose from.
—Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
If the programs close, many working families may have to choose between going to work and taking care of their children.
—NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
In Memory, Chastain chose to purchase her movie costumes at Target, in part to get into her character.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Rumors have swirled for years that Lexus may choose to replace it with a high-end crossover model like the LF-1 Limitless concept of 2018.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choose
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
If the programs close, many working families may have to choose between going to work and taking care of their children.
—NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
In Memory, Chastain chose to purchase her movie costumes at Target, in part to get into her character.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Rumors have swirled for years that Lexus may choose to replace it with a high-end crossover model like the LF-1 Limitless concept of 2018.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for choose
Cite this Entry
“Choose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choose. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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