✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

determined

adjective

de·​ter·​mined di-ˈtər-mənd How to pronounce determined (audio)
dē-
Synonyms of determinednext
1
: having reached a decision : firmly resolved
was determined to become a pilot
is determined not to let it happen again
2
a
: showing determination
a determined effort
b
: characterized by determination
… will deter all but the most determined thief.Security World
determinedly
di-ˈtər-mənd-lē How to pronounce determined (audio)
-mə-nəd-lē
dē-
adverb
determinedness noun

Examples of determined in a Sentence

We are making a determined effort to correct our mistakes. his determined opponent would not be bluffed or shaken
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Houses were frequently surrounded by high walls, although these barriers were not always effective against determined predators—Olaudah Equiano and his sister were captured in his native Igboland by a small party of three raiders who jumped over the external wall of his home. Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025 Although she was told there wasn't a cure, the mom was determined to find a way to treat her son's condition, known as SLC6A1. Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025 Over three summers, following her parents’ divorce, August, a lively and determined teenager, spends her holidays with her father in a seaside town in transition. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025 While this season appears lost for the Commanders, Daniels seems determined to at least end the year on a positive note and show that making the NFC Championship Game last season was no fluke. Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for determined

Word History

Etymology

see determine

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of determined was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Determined.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/determined. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

determined

adjective
de·​ter·​mined di-ˈtər-mənd How to pronounce determined (audio)
1
: having reached a decision : firmly resolved
determined to be a pilot
2
: not weak or uncertain
a very determined opponent
determinedly
-mən-dlē How to pronounce determined (audio)
-mə-nəd-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on determined

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!