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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb resolve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of resolve are decide, determine, rule, and settle. While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.

he resolved to quit smoking

When might decide be a better fit than resolve?

In some situations, the words decide and resolve are roughly equivalent. However, decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.

she decided to sell her house

When could determine be used to replace resolve?

Although the words determine and resolve have much in common, determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.

determined the cause of the problem

When is it sensible to use rule instead of resolve?

The words rule and resolve can be used in similar contexts, but rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.

the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

When would settle be a good substitute for resolve?

While the synonyms settle and resolve are close in meaning, settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.

the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

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 resolve
Verb
More than 1800 cases have been reviewed by the Pentagon so far, with the vast majority ultimately resolved as likely balloons, drones, debris or animals based on a comprehensive review of available data. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 4 June 2025 That development was paused amid a tangle of lawsuits in 2023 and 2024, but is moving forward after the cases were resolved in November and March. Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2025
Noun
This syndrome is associated with episodes of head tilting to one side that resolve within minutes to days. Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 26 May 2025 This economic pressure not only risks hardening China’s resolve but also enables Beijing to recast itself as a defender of global trade norms and to shift blame for any global economic slowdown to the United States. Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for resolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resolve
Verb
  • The court rejected the administration’s argument this time, deciding that Trump’s sweeping tariffs exceeded his authority to regulate imports under IEEPA.
    Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
  • As mentioned above, there are myriad factors—international transportation bottlenecks, natural disasters and supplier insolvency, among others—that need to be considered simultaneously in real time to decide what’s best for the business.
    Sadagopan S, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • Eventually the problem of making safe, fuel-efficient, consumer-friendly automobiles was more or less solved.
    Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • With an intention to welcome 1 million foreign workers over the next three years, the plan to solve Spain's overtourism issues has never been more prescient.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • Fallout from President Trump’s break with Elon Musk is roiling a Republican Party that was already divided over the fate of the president’s landmark legislation.
    Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • Americans were also divided over what their separation means for the country, according to the survey, which has a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • While an immigration judge in Louisiana has found Khalil deportable based on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s determination, his lawyers separately brought the federal court case to ask Farbiaz to weigh in on the constitutional issues at play.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 29 May 2025
  • And there is determination and Stovall has plenty of that.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • There are so many reasons why a player may choose to play in a particular location, for a particular team, for a particular coach that have nothing to do with the tax situation in that market.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 5 June 2025
  • In a May 30 update to a Facebook post about Louie's disappearance, the zoo announced its belief that Louie has chosen to live his life in the wilderness.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • As Forbes reported, this seems to be a result of the relationship between Must and President Donald Trump appearing to unravel, with each attacking the other.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • But the claim started to unravel as investigators talked to Morales Reyes, who doesn’t speak English fluently, and obtained a handwriting sample from him that was different from the handwriting in the letters, according to court documents.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • Airlines also often try to separate business travelers from leisure travelers, because business travelers are typically less price sensitive.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • There was gold but also plenty of garbage, with little time to separate the two.
    Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • In the 2025 General Assembly session, lawmakers passed legislation aiming to mitigate potential disruptions in the state marketplace due to federal decisions.
    Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2025
  • By using interpretability tools, organizations can provide visibility into how AI models make decisions, helping to build trust among stakeholders.
    Ugandhar Dasi, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Resolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resolve. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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