# decide

/ˌdɪˈsaɪd/ (US) · /dɪsˈaɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/decide
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to make a choice

verb · CEFR A1

to choose something after thinking about several possibilities.

For teachers: to reach a conclusion or select a course of action after deliberation. Often used with an infinitive or a 'that' clause.

- We couldn't decide which movie to watch, so we stayed home instead.
- After reviewing all the available data, the board decided to postpone the merger until the following fiscal year.

Usage: Commonly followed by 'to' + verb, 'that' + clause, or 'on' + noun.

### 2. to settle a result

verb · CEFR B1

to be the reason that a competition or a problem ends in a certain way.

For teachers: to determine the outcome of a contest, dispute, or uncertain situation.

- A late goal in the final minute decided the match.
- The supreme court's ruling will finally decide the legal ownership of the disputed territory.

Usage: In this sense, the subject is often the event or factor that causes the result.

### 3. to influence a choice

verb · CEFR B2

to make someone else make a choice.

For teachers: to cause someone to reach a specific decision or conclusion.

- The high price of the car finally decided me against buying it.
- It was her passion for social justice that ultimately decided him to join the non-profit organisation.

Usage: Often used in the pattern 'decide someone to do something' or 'decide someone against something'.

### 4. computing logic

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to give a correct yes-or-no answer to a problem every time.

For teachers: Of an algorithm or Turing machine: to provide a correct binary output for every possible input within a given set.

- The program is designed to decide if a number is prime or not.
- A fundamental question in complexity theory is whether a specific machine can decide the language in polynomial time.

## Examples

- She decides what to cook for dinner.
- After reviewing the budget, the team needs to decide which features to prioritize for the next software update.
- The committee has to decide whether accepting the short-term profit is worth the potential long-term damage to their brand's reputation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.