Determines — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /di-ˈtər-mən/ de·ter·mine

Meaning & Definition of Determines

Determines (verb)

  1. to fix conclusively or authoritatively
  2. to officially decide (something) especially because of evidence or facts; specifically, law, to make a decision regarding a case, issue, or claim
  3. to settle or decide by choice of alternatives or possibilities

Determines (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)

    "a three-member panel will determine the case"

    similar: adjudges, adjudicates, arbitrates, decides, judges, referees, rules (on), settles, umpires
    related: considers, deems, deliberates, hears, ponders, weighs, sizes up, mediates, moderates, negotiates, prosecutes, tries, finds (for or against), concludes, resolves, redetermines, rejudges
    near: equivocates, hedges, pussyfoots, skirts

  2. to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration

    "trying to determine which direction we were facing"

    similar: chooses, concludes, decides, figures, names, opts, resolves, settles (on or upon)
    related: decrees, rules, culls, elects, handpicks, picks, prefers, selects, singles (out), adjudges, adjudicates, arbitrates, finds, judges, referees, rules (on), umpires, chews over, cogitates, considers, contemplates, debates, deliberates, entertains, meditates, mulls (over), ponders, questions, ruminates, studies, thinks (about or over), weighs
    near: abstains, declines, refuses, rejects, turns down, delays, halts, hesitates, stalls, temporizes, shilly-shallies, vacillates, waffles, wavers

  3. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "we failed to determine the answer to the riddle"

    similar: ascertains, descries, detects, digs out, digs up, discovers, dredges (up), ferrets (out), finds, finds out, gets, hits (on or upon), hunts (down or up), learns, locates, noses out, roots (out), routs (out), rummages, runs down, scares up, scouts (up), tracks (down), turns up
    related: espies, sights, spots, looks for, searches (for or out), seeks
    opposite: misses, overlooks, passes over
    near: loses, mislays, misplaces, missets

  4. to come to an end

    "your participation in the savings plan determines with the termination of your employment here"

    similar: breaks off, breaks up, ceases, closes, concludes, dead-ends, dies, discontinues, elapses, ends, expires, finishes, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, terminates, winds up, winks (out), bites the dust
    related: desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over (British), knocks off, packs (up or in), breaks down, conks (out), cuts out, stalls, pauses, stays, suspends, abates, peters (out), winds down
    opposite: continues, hangs on, persists
    near: draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts

  5. to make final, definite, or beyond dispute

    "your choice of college could determine the rest of your life"

    similar: clinches, decides, nails, settles
    related: demonstrates, establishes, nails (down), proves, shows, affirms, assures, ensures, insures, secures, defines, specifies, states, stipulates, clarifies, clears (up), illuminates, concludes, ends, finishes
    near: confuses, muddies, muddles, unsettles

Related Entry: Determine (verb)

Determine is a different word from Determines. The synonyms below are for determine, not for determines.

  1. to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)

    "a three-member panel will determine the case"

    similar: adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, judge, referee, rule (on), settle, umpire
    related: consider, deem, deliberate, hear, ponder, weigh, size up, mediate, moderate, negotiate, prosecute, try, find (for or against), conclude, resolve, redetermine, rejudge
    near: equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, skirt

  2. to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration

    "trying to determine which direction we were facing"

    similar: choose, conclude, decide, figure, name, opt, resolve, settle (on or upon)
    related: decree, rule, cull, elect, handpick, pick, prefer, select, single (out), adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, find, judge, referee, rule (on), umpire, chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, entertain, meditate, mull (over), ponder, question, ruminate, study, think (about or over), weigh
    near: abstain, decline, refuse, reject, turn down, delay, halt, hesitate, stall, temporize, shilly-shally, vacillate, waffle, waver

  3. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "we failed to determine the answer to the riddle"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  4. to come to an end

    "your participation in the savings plan determines with the termination of your employment here"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

  5. to make final, definite, or beyond dispute

    "your choice of college could determine the rest of your life"

    similar: clinch, decide, nail, settle
    related: demonstrate, establish, nail (down), prove, show, affirm, assure, ensure, insure, secure, define, specify, state, stipulate, clarify, clear (up), illuminate, conclude, end, finish
    near: confuse, muddle, muddy, unsettle

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Determines

The most common words with a similar meaning to Determines:

adjudges, adjudicates, arbitrates, decides, judges, referees, rules (on), settles, umpires, chooses, concludes, figures, names, opts, resolves, settles (on or upon), ascertains, descries, detects, digs out, digs up, discovers, dredges (up), ferrets (out), finds, finds out, gets, hits (on or upon), hunts (down or up), learns, locates, noses out, roots (out), routs (out), rummages, runs down, scares up, scouts (up), tracks (down), turns up

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Determines

Words with the opposite meaning of Determines:

misses, overlooks, passes over, continues, hangs on, persists

Related Words for Determines

considers, deems, deliberates, hears, ponders, weighs, sizes up, mediates, moderates, negotiates, prosecutes, tries, finds (for or against), redetermines, rejudges, decrees, rules, culls, elects, handpicks, picks, prefers, selects, singles (out), chews over, cogitates, contemplates, debates, entertains, meditates

Near Antonyms of Determines

equivocates, hedges, pussyfoots, skirts, abstains, declines, refuses, rejects, turns down, delays, halts, hesitates, stalls, temporizes, shilly-shallies, vacillates, waffles, wavers, loses, mislays, misplaces, missets, draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts, confuses, muddies, muddles, unsettles

Word Forms of Determines

Inflections: determined, determining

Origin & Etymology of Determines

Middle English, from Anglo-French determiner, from Latin determinare, from de- + terminare to limit, from terminus boundary, limit term:1

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Determines

What does "Determines" mean?

"Determines" means to fix conclusively or authoritatively. As a verb, it is defined as: to fix conclusively or authoritatively. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Determines"?

Other words for "Determines" include adjudges, adjudicates, arbitrates, decides, judges, referees, rules (on) and settles. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Determines" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Determines"?

There are 139 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Determines". Common alternatives include adjudges, adjudicates, arbitrates, decides, judges, referees, rules (on), settles, umpires and chooses.

What is the opposite of "Determines"?

Antonyms of "Determines" include misses, overlooks, passes over, continues, hangs on and persists. Near antonyms include equivocates, hedges, pussyfoots and skirts.

How do you use "Determines" in a sentence?

Examples of "Determines" in a sentence: "a three-member panel will determine the case"; "trying to determine which direction we were facing"; "we failed to determine the answer to the riddle".

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

"Determines" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Determines"?

"Determines" is pronounced /di-ˈtər-mən/ and divided into syllables as de·ter·mine.

What is the origin of the word "Determines"?

"Determines" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French determiner, from Latin determinare, from de- + terminare to limit, from terminus boundary, limit term:1. First known use: 14th centuryt.