opted; opting; opts
: to make a choice
especially
: to decide in favor of something
… opted for a tax increase … —
Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker After perusing the menu he opted for the prime rib.
1
optical; optician; optics
2
option; optional
Examples of opt in a Sentence
Verb
after that near catastrophe, they opted to reinstate the telephone service
Recent Examples on the Web
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
After battling through injury during Saturday's third round at the RBC Canadian Open, Brooks Koepka opted not to give it a go in the final round, ultimately withdrawing from the PGA Tour event on Sunday morning.
—Mark Harris, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
Breaking her recent streak of minimalist summery looks, the singer opted instead for a bohemian, witchy look, perfect for the theatrical evening.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 14 June 2026
Ferrari opted for a three-stop race to give Hamilton fresher tires on a track that is known to be hard on rubber, especially with track temperatures at 50 Celsius (122 F).
—ABC News, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opt
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.
Verb
Refs opted to disregard the blatant flagrant foul and the usually stoic Brunson erupted, chasing after the officials before turning on his heel in a fury and returning to the bench.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
After battling through injury during Saturday's third round at the RBC Canadian Open, Brooks Koepka opted not to give it a go in the final round, ultimately withdrawing from the PGA Tour event on Sunday morning.
—Mark Harris, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
Breaking her recent streak of minimalist summery looks, the singer opted instead for a bohemian, witchy look, perfect for the theatrical evening.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 14 June 2026
Ferrari opted for a three-stop race to give Hamilton fresher tires on a track that is known to be hard on rubber, especially with track temperatures at 50 Celsius (122 F).
—ABC News, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opt
Cite this Entry
“Opt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opt. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
