1
as in chooses
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 determines
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 arranges
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 settles
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 derives
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 decides
Jackson is aghast when Wahlberg shows up fat and scraggly for filming, ultimately firing him and hiring Ryan Gosling, who secretly thinks Wahlberg had the right idea but decides to keep his mouth shut.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The desirable outcome is that a jury, which decides questions of fact, decides that social media is addictive and it was designed to maximize engagement.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
The tale of a rebellious apprentice who decides to leave her master came to him after his young daughter defied him for the first time.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
The reasons for this are manifold, but include the fact that the Academy’s directors’ branch, which decides on the nominations, is still predominantly male, and has historically overlooked the work of women.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
After finding a girl that looks to be her exact double, Hannah decides to take over her life.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
If an agency then decides to search a network for the purpose of immigration enforcement, the data from the cameras from that state will be pulled out of the search.
—Sara Bedigian, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
What Iran decides to do remains uncertain, but experts say a concerted attack on desalination plants would be crossing a clear red line.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
If another team decides to make that offer, don’t expect the Cowboys to panic and reset their offer.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The desirable outcome is that a jury, which decides questions of fact, decides that social media is addictive and it was designed to maximize engagement.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
The tale of a rebellious apprentice who decides to leave her master came to him after his young daughter defied him for the first time.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
The reasons for this are manifold, but include the fact that the Academy’s directors’ branch, which decides on the nominations, is still predominantly male, and has historically overlooked the work of women.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
After finding a girl that looks to be her exact double, Hannah decides to take over her life.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
If an agency then decides to search a network for the purpose of immigration enforcement, the data from the cameras from that state will be pulled out of the search.
—Sara Bedigian, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
What Iran decides to do remains uncertain, but experts say a concerted attack on desalination plants would be crossing a clear red line.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
If another team decides to make that offer, don’t expect the Cowboys to panic and reset their offer.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decides
Verb
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Where the federal government chooses to voluntarily dismiss a case (rather than settling), the Act creates a process by which state attorneys general can step into the shoes of the federal government and continue the case.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
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In practice, this means a single unpaid judgment can generate multiple levies over time, each one hitting your account when the creditor chooses to act.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Federal protections set a baseline, state laws can strengthen them considerably, and the type of debt involved determines how quickly and aggressively a creditor can act.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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The math that drives political consensus isn’t the same math that determines economic outcomes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Morocco, Alex Wix of Wix Squared frequently arranges Sahara journeys with a private astronomer to interpret the constellations.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Uber already arranges Waymo rides on its app in Austin, Atlanta and Phoenix.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dynamism fades, and stasis settles in.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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Your 12th House of Subtlety wakes as the Moon settles into Aries, inviting gentle reflection by writing a private note to capture feelings before obligations crowd your day.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rick Baker Much of modern Hollywood makeup derives from techniques created by Rick Baker, who innovated the field of special effects makeup.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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The name derives from the biblical story of Samson, who destroyed a temple and killed both himself and his enemies.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Emily Ratajkowski has her Puma Speedcats; Gigi Hadid has sported bright red Adidas Sambas; Olivia Rodrigo opts for the Nike Cortez.—
Nina Derwin,
Glamour,
10 Mar. 2026
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The curveball here could be if Pochettino opts not to bring Turner.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Japan considers China a growing security threat and has pushed a military buildup on southwestern islands near the East China Sea.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
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Other provisions would bolster court oversight of settlements, as well as strengthen the ability of state attorneys general to weigh in as a judge considers whether to sign off on an agreement.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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John Keating, a combat veteran who served on the City Council for 15 years, pitched himself as an experienced politician who understands city government deeply.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
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But for as much as Rick and Morty understands geekdom and storytelling conventions, the secret sauce is how much the series is interested in understanding feelings.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decides.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decides. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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