verb
Meaning 1
To set the boundaries or limits of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
determine
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/
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UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Canada, US: /dɪˈtɝmɪn/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Canada: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Philippines: /ˌdɛ.təɹˈmɪn/
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Philippines: /dɛˈtəɹ.mɪn/
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CMU ARPABET: D AH0 T ER1 M AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: D IH0 T ER1 M AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To ascertain definitely; to figure out, find out, or conclude by analyzing, calculating, or investigating.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The news of his father's illness determined him to depart immediately.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The court has determined the cause.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: find, judge, make a decision, choose up, decide, determine, posken, make up one's mind, take a decision, work out
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To resolve (to do something); to establish a fixed intention; to cause (something) to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I determined to go home at once.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To define or limit by adding a differentia.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To bring to an end, finish; to come to an end, stop, end.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
Qualifier: otherwise obsolete
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
reach, make, or come to a decision about something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- We finally decided after lengthy deliberations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: decide, make up one's mind
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: measure, mensurate, measure out, choose, take, select, pick out, will, seal, purpose, resolve, rule, decree, orient, orientate, judge, adjudicate, try, regulate, regularize, regularise, order, govern
verb
Meaning 10
fix conclusively or authoritatively
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- set the rules
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: set
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: identify, place, date, value, filiate, format, charge, initialize, initialise, tax, assess, price
verb
Meaning 11
fix in scope; fix the boundaries of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the tree determines the border of the property
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: specify, define, delineate, delimit, delimitate
Narrower terms: pin down, peg down, nail down, narrow down, narrow, specify
verb
Meaning 12
shape or influence; give direction to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- experience often determines ability
- mold public opinion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shape, mold, influence, regulate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cause, do, make
Narrower terms: dispose, incline, indispose, disincline, miscreate, carry weight, decide, reshape, time, index, pace, predetermine
verb
Meaning 13
settle conclusively; come to terms
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- We finally settled the argument
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: settle, square off, square up
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: conclude, resolve
Narrower terms: clear, solve, concert, clinch, compromise
verb
Meaning 14
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- find the product of two numbers
- The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: find, find out, ascertain
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: gauge, translate, rectify, redetermine, sequence, refract, count, number, enumerate, numerate, admeasure, situate, locate
verb
Meaning 15
find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- I want to see whether she speaks French
- See whether it works
- find out if he speaks Russian
- Check whether the train leaves on time
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: check, find out, see, ascertain, watch, learn
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: test
verb
Meaning 16
decide upon or fix definitely
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- fix the variables
- specify the parameters
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: specify, set, define, fix, limit
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: choose, take, select, pick out
Narrower terms: quantify, name, reset, define
History
Etymology
From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”).
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: опреде́лям (opredéljam) — to set the limits of
- Bulgarian: установя́вам (ustanovjávam) — to set the limits of
- Catalan: determinar — to set the limits of
- Chinese Mandarin: 確定 /确定 (quèdìng) — to set the limits of
- Chinese Mandarin: 決定 /决定 (juédìng) — to set the limits of
- Cornish: determya — to set the limits of
- Czech: určit — to set the limits of
- Dutch: vaststellen — to set the limits of
- Esperanto: determini — to set the limits of
- Estonian: piiritlema — to set the limits of
- Finnish: päättää — to set the limits of
- French: déterminer — to set the limits of
- Galician: determinar — to set the limits of
- German: bestimmen — to set the limits of
- German: eingrenzen — to set the limits of
- Greek: καθορίζω (kathorízo) — to set the limits of
- Hindi: निर्धारण (nirdhāraṇ) — to set the limits of
- Icelandic: ákveða — to set the limits of
- Italian: determinare — to set the limits of
- Italian: stabilire — to set the limits of
- Japanese: 定める (sadameru) — to set the limits of
- Japanese: 決する (kessuru) — to set the limits of
- Japanese: 決定する (kettei suru) — to set the limits of
- Macedonian: опреде́лува (opredéluva) — to set the limits of
- Macedonian: одре́дува (odréduva) — to set the limits of
- Polish: określać — to set the limits of
- Portuguese: determinar — to set the limits of
- Russian: определя́ть (opredeljátʹ) — to set the limits of
- Russian: определи́ть (opredelítʹ) — to set the limits of
- Russian: устана́вливать (ustanávlivatʹ) — to set the limits of
- Russian: установи́ть (ustanovítʹ) — to set the limits of
- Spanish: determinar — to set the limits of
- Thai: กําหนด (gam-nòt) — to set the limits of
- Ukrainian: встано́влювати (vstanóvljuvaty) — to set the limits of
- Ukrainian: обме́жувати (obméžuvaty) — to set the limits of
- Zazaki: belı kerden — to set the limits of
- Bulgarian: опреде́лям (opredéljam) — to ascertain definitely
- Bulgarian: установявам (ustanovjavam) — to ascertain definitely
- Catalan: determinar — to ascertain definitely
- Chinese Mandarin: 決定 /决定 (juédìng) — to ascertain definitely
- Cornish: determya — to ascertain definitely
- Czech: určit — to ascertain definitely
- Dutch: bepalen — to ascertain definitely
- Estonian: selgitama — to ascertain definitely
- Estonian: määrama — to ascertain definitely
- Finnish: määrittää — to ascertain definitely
- Finnish: ottaa selville — to ascertain definitely
- Finnish: ottaa selvää — to ascertain definitely
- French: déterminer — to ascertain definitely
- German: festlegen — to ascertain definitely
- Hindi: निर्धारण (nirdhāraṇ) — to ascertain definitely
- Icelandic: ákveða — to ascertain definitely
- Italian: capire — to ascertain definitely
- Italian: verificare — to ascertain definitely
- Italian: accertarsi — to ascertain definitely
- Japanese: 定める (sadameru) — to ascertain definitely
- Japanese: 決する (kessuru) — to ascertain definitely
- Japanese: 決定する (kettei suru) — to ascertain definitely
- Latin: scīscō — to ascertain definitely
- Macedonian: утврдува (utvrduva) — to ascertain definitely
- Macedonian: востано́вува (vostanóvuva) — to ascertain definitely
- Macedonian: устано́вува (ustanóvuva) — to ascertain definitely
- Māori: whakatakoto whakaaro — to ascertain definitely
- Polish: ustalać — to ascertain definitely
- Polish: ustalić — to ascertain definitely
- Portuguese: determinar — to ascertain definitely
- Russian: определя́ть (opredeljátʹ) — to ascertain definitely
- Russian: определи́ть (opredelítʹ) — to ascertain definitely
- Spanish: determinar — to ascertain definitely
- Swedish: avgöra — to ascertain definitely
- Swedish: bestämma — to ascertain definitely
- Ukrainian: визнача́ти (vyznačáty) — to ascertain definitely
Real reading context