determination

noun

di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce determination (audio)
Definition of determinationnext
1
as in decision
firm or unwavering adherence to one's purpose the determination with which the pioneers settled the land despite many hardships and setbacks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opinion
a position arrived at after consideration a determination by the judge regarding an appropriate sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deduction
an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning his determination of the truth of the matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of determination The determination to do so sometimes exacts a great price, as Gettysburg attests. — Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026 Seven weeks of American bombing of the Houthis in 2025 – which burned through $1 billion worth of ordnance – failed to lessen the Houthis’ ideological determination or their territorial grip. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026 Alongside the extraordinary support of their families, their stories offer a powerful insight into resilience, determination and hope. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026 Amelia Maldonado, a county land-use spokesperson, said in an email that while county staffers provide recommendations, the Planning Commission has the authority to reach its own determination. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for determination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for determination
  1. decision
  2. opinion
  3. deduction
  4. decisiveness
  5. verdict
  6. inference
  7. resolve
  8. conclusion
Noun
  • The prediction, which is based on Gartner surveys and interactions with clients, makes a distinction between AI that can support decision making through insights, for example, and AI that can automate the decision making.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Kemigisa said that Oyo left behind a young son whose identity would be unveiled at the right time, casting doubt on the legitimacy of Nyabongo and the decision of the Babiito to choose him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of decision
Noun
  • That not only put him at odds with public opinion, but complicated the lives of fellow Republicans eager to escape a backlash that's making a dire GOP election situation even worse.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • One analysis described the House contest as very close and gave Republicans a slight edge in its seat-by-seat model, while noting that current public-opinion conditions could favor Democrats.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of opinion
Noun
  • Yes, clubs have fallen foul of slightly breaking Premier League rules in the past and have received points deductions as a result.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • City now faces severe sanctions that could include a huge points deduction or even expulsion from the league, causing heavy reputational damage to its Abu Dhabi ownership.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of deduction
Noun
  • The window to capitalize on these moves is narrow, demanding precision and decisiveness.
    — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Cousins’ decisiveness and awareness are key traits Las Vegas wants Mendoza to observe and learn to emulate.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of decisiveness
Noun
  • In a rare sign of unity within Kosovo's fractured legislative assembly, lawmakers earlier this week unanimously condemned the war crimes verdicts in a declaration.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Soon after the verdict, Harley Feldman, who had attended his daughter's trial daily, passed away.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of verdict
Noun
  • The assumed inference is that travelers rely on Google for their travel needs and that informative brochures and knowledgeable attendants are a quaint idea that has outlived its usefulness.
    — Frank Hosek, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • According to McKinsey, inference is set to surpass training as the most dominant workload in AI data centers by the end of the decade.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of inference
Noun
  • They were published in a series of articles by German magazine Der Spiegel in November 2018, that gave insight into the City chairman's resolve for a legal battle.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Chicago has already reduced homicide and overdose rates; the same resolve can now target heart health.
    — Garth Walker, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of resolve
Noun
  • And your job as a writer is to put some order onto those pieces, but not necessarily to draw some giant conclusion about them.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The league, however, did not publicly identify the standard used to reach that conclusion.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of conclusion

Browse Nearby Words

determinate
determination
determinations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Determination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/determination. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of perseverate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All