1
as in to choose
to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration
they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to determine
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to arrange
to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of
we waited for our captors to decide our fate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to settle
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
the huge sum that they were offering decided the matter: we would sell the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to understand
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
the commanding officer decided that the soldier was indeed telling the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decide
Weeks after adopting a kitten from a shelter, a couple decided to go back to get her sister—their reaction when they were reunited has gone viral.
—
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Similarly, Saquon and his siblings were raised in the Bronx until the Barkley family decided to relocate to Pennsylvania.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
The pair had been approached about releasing a rare recording by the famed jazz pianist Scatman John and decided to test out their idea with the project.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
In Thursday night’s episode, Velasco decided to accept the position.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decide
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Similarly, Saquon and his siblings were raised in the Bronx until the Barkley family decided to relocate to Pennsylvania.
—Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
The pair had been approached about releasing a rare recording by the famed jazz pianist Scatman John and decided to test out their idea with the project.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
In Thursday night’s episode, Velasco decided to accept the position.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decide
Verb
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That is why, with an open base, the Phillies chose to put Shohei Ohtani on first.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Underwood believes that choosing a name isn’t just about what sounds sweet in childhood, but about who her child will eventually grow into in the real world.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kickbacks detailed in court records Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of unraveling Gatlin’s web of fraudulent charges for investigators and Foundation officials was determining the validity of charges.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
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Currently, there is no data on the containment status of the fire and the cause has yet to be determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Get our best clever painting hacks to extend the height of a room, space-saving storage ideas, and tips for arranging bedroom furniture.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
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In other words, this year, the Eagles’ opponents are more often presenting four deep defenders against their three wide receiver sets instead of deploying a single-high safety and arranging the remaining defenders to play closer to the line of scrimmage.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This is called a bifurcation, or a point where a system can settle into one of two different stable states, depending on small differences in conditions.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
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That said, there’s a real sense that the dust is starting to settle.—
Paul Chai,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Here, settler colonialism is understood as a form of environmental injustice, where pollution and degraded landscapes diminish Indigenous quality of life and ability to be in right relationship with the environment.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Oct. 2025
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First, understand what the ruling means.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Keep this outfit idea from looking too heavy by opting for olive or brown toned leather instead of black and a light-wash denim over dark jeans.—
Clare Holden,
Glamour,
9 Oct. 2025
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As for accessories, the British royal family member opted for neutrals for her handbag and pumps in beige and embraced warm tones to complement her autumnal color scheme with gold earrings.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After pulverizing Gaza so relentlessly that a country founded in the shadow of the Holocaust was judged by experts as complicit in genocide, Israel’s military and intelligence apparatus also struck out elsewhere—Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Syria.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
11 Oct. 2025
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Their next opportunity to do so comes against a Lions team that knows better than to judge by current records.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Most originated in Asia and are derived from Paeonia lactiflora.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
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Reuters reported that membership in the GenZ 212, which derived its name from Morocco’s area code, has soared in recent days—jumping from 3,000 last week to 130,000 on Thursday.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decide. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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