opt

1 of 2

verb

ˈäpt 

opted; opting; opts

intransitive verb

: to make a choice

especially : to decide in favor of something

… opted for a tax increase …

—Tom Wicker

After perusing the menu he opted for the prime rib.

opt

2 of 2

abbreviation

1

optical; optician; optics

2

option; optional

Synonyms of opt

Verb

• choose
• decide
• figure

Examples of opt in a Sentence

Verb

after that near catastrophe, they opted to reinstate the telephone service

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Therefore, the state-level attorney general might opt to bring a legal charge of public nuisance against an AI maker and their AI. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

With logic against her, Rebecca opts for an emotional appeal. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026

Lucky opted to send the laptop with the seed phrase to Rand, and then, in the final scene, after years of false promises from John, Lucky finally makes it to the beach. — Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

The club opted against a lengthy pre-season trip to North America, Oceania, or East Asia, preferring a smaller-scale tour in which the squad swung back to the Carrington training ground after playing across a host of European cities. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

French opter, from Latin optare

First Known Use

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing opt

• co-opt
• opt in
• opt out

Rhymes for opt

• chopped
• cropped
• dropped
• dropt
• flopped
• hopped
• lopped
• mopped
• plopped
• popped
• propped
• shopped

Kids Definition

opt

verb

ˈäpt

: to make a choice

Medical Definition

opt

abbreviation

optician