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

Aniston opted for a brown bikini top, pink bikini bottoms and sunglasses. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026

It’s offered in several colors, but Jennie opted for a beige suede and black patent leather option. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 29 July 2026

Many are now bypassing traditional jobs, opting instead for side hustles to earn money and develop crucial life skills. — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

The stock selloff deepened after a decision issued on Wednesday afternoon by the Federal Reserve, which opted to hold interest rates steady and voiced a forceful commitment to address elevated inflation. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 July 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