as in choosing
to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration
after that near catastrophe, they opted to reinstate the telephone service
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Recent Examples of opting
Consumers also continue to shift their viewing habits, opting for phone-first experiences and bite-size content on social media platforms.
—
Lauren Wilson, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
How To Resolve These Problems But that shouldn’t necessarily deter you from opting for a home with lots of natural light.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
By opting to join the FSU Seminoles, Charlie decided not to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, a 15-time major champion who played two years at Stanford before going pro in 1996.
—David Matthews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The trial was shorter than an ordinary death-penalty case because Ragan waived his right to have a jury decide his sentence, opting instead for Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez to do so, an unusual move for a defendant facing execution.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
European countries have added tourist fees to popular spots, some cruise lines are opting for smaller ports of call, and even Hawaiians have called for limits on visitors.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Choosing a hue that will never go out of style, rather than opting for what's on trend, will prevent you from wanting to change your kitchen cabinet paint color every few years.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 Feb. 2026
Instead of opting for the obvious minimalist loafer, Theron spiced things up by slipping on some black leather slides, adding a summery touch to her look.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
Lauren Wilson, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
How To Resolve These Problems But that shouldn’t necessarily deter you from opting for a home with lots of natural light.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
By opting to join the FSU Seminoles, Charlie decided not to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, a 15-time major champion who played two years at Stanford before going pro in 1996.
—David Matthews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The trial was shorter than an ordinary death-penalty case because Ragan waived his right to have a jury decide his sentence, opting instead for Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez to do so, an unusual move for a defendant facing execution.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
European countries have added tourist fees to popular spots, some cruise lines are opting for smaller ports of call, and even Hawaiians have called for limits on visitors.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Choosing a hue that will never go out of style, rather than opting for what's on trend, will prevent you from wanting to change your kitchen cabinet paint color every few years.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 Feb. 2026
Instead of opting for the obvious minimalist loafer, Theron spiced things up by slipping on some black leather slides, adding a summery touch to her look.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026
The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opting
Verb
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Your strength lies not in not needing anyone, but in consciously choosing with whom to move forward.—
Marie Bladt,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
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If even deciding where to start seems difficult, Bereika suggests choosing the smallest category.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Denver’s return from the bye week in Washington was anything but pretty defensively until Nik Bonitto made one of the plays of the season, batting down a deciding two-point conversion attempt in overtime and sealing the Broncos’ eighth straight win.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
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Of course, not all airports serve the same destinations, and differences in travel time and parking fees should be considered when deciding which airport to depart from.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a ruse that, for lack of a more astute reference point here, feels very Don Draper-coded, Rose poses as the dear male soldier who died next to her in battle, figuring why waste the deeds to perfectly decent land, or his name.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
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Somehow, the guy known for not thinking much about results has a stealthy knack for figuring things out.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opting. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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