Determination — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən/ de·ter·mi·na·tion

Meaning & Definition of Determination

Determination (noun)

  1. the act of officially deciding something
  2. a decision of a court or administrative agency settling an issue, case, or claim
  3. the resolving of a question by argument or reasoning

Determination (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. firm or unwavering adherence to one's purpose

    "the determination with which the pioneers settled the land despite many hardships and setbacks"

    similar: decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve, stick-to-itiveness
    related: doggedness, obduracy, obdurateness, obstinacy, obstinateness, perseverance, persistence, persistency, stubbornness, tenaciousness, tenacity, certainty, certitude, confidence, sureness, alacrity, eagerness, gameness, readiness, backbone, fortitude, grit, iron, pluck, sand
    opposite: hesitation, indecision, indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution, vacillation
    near: doubt, incertitude, indetermination, uncertainty, aversion, disinclination, indisposition, reluctance, unwillingness

  2. a position arrived at after consideration

    "a determination by the judge regarding an appropriate sentence"

    similar: award, call, conclusion, decision, deliverance, diagnosis, judgment, opinion, resolution, verdict
    related: behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate, directive, edict, instruction, mandate, order, word, last word, say-so, adjudication, disposition, doom, finding, ruling, sentence, choice, option, selection, consensus, belief, conviction, eye, feeling, mind, notion, persuasion, sentiment, view
    near: deadlock, draw, halt, stalemate, standoff, tie

  3. an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning

    "his determination of the truth of the matter"

    similar: conclusion, consequence, deduction, eduction, induction, inference, sequitur
    related: decision, deliverance, diagnosis, judgment, resolution, ruling, verdict, conjecture, guess, surmise, assumption, presumption, supposition

Related Entry: Self-determination (noun)

Self-determination is a different word from Determination. The synonyms below are for self-determination, not for determination.

  1. the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions

    "the United States officially recognizes 18 as the age at which someone is entitled to self-determination"

    similar: accord, autonomy, choice, free will, volition, will
    related: election, preference, selection, bent, devices, disposition, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, alternative, discretion, option, pick, way
    near: coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, force, pressure

  2. the state of being free from the control or power of another

    "rebels fighting for the territory's self-determination"

    similar: autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-governance, self-government, sovereignty
    related: emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release
    opposite: dependence, heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom
    near: captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Determination

The most common words with a similar meaning to Determination:

decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve, stick-to-itiveness, award, call, conclusion, deliverance, diagnosis, judgment, opinion, verdict, consequence, deduction, eduction, induction, inference, sequitur

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Determination

Words with the opposite meaning of Determination:

hesitation, indecision, indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution, vacillation

Related Words for Determination

doggedness, obduracy, obdurateness, obstinacy, obstinateness, perseverance, persistence, persistency, stubbornness, tenaciousness, tenacity, certainty, certitude, confidence, sureness, alacrity, eagerness, gameness, readiness, backbone, fortitude, grit, iron, pluck, sand, behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate

Near Antonyms of Determination

doubt, incertitude, indetermination, uncertainty, aversion, disinclination, indisposition, reluctance, unwillingness, deadlock, draw, halt, stalemate, standoff, tie

Origin & Etymology of Determination

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Determination

Words & Phrases Containing Determination

self-determination

Frequently Asked Questions about Determination

What does "Determination" mean?

"Determination" means the act of officially deciding something. As a noun, it is defined as: the act of officially deciding something. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Determination"?

Other words for "Determination" include decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness and resoluteness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Determination" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Determination"?

There are 88 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Determination". Common alternatives include decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution and resolve.

What is the opposite of "Determination"?

Antonyms of "Determination" include hesitation, indecision, indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution and vacillation. Near antonyms include doubt, incertitude, indetermination and uncertainty.

How do you use "Determination" in a sentence?

Examples of "Determination" in a sentence: "the determination with which the pioneers settled the land despite many hardships and setbacks"; "a determination by the judge regarding an appropriate sentence"; "his determination of the truth of the matter".

Is "Determination" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Determination" is a noun.

Is "Determination" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Determination" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Determination"?

"Determination" is pronounced /di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən/ and divided into syllables as de·ter·mi·na·tion.