ENGLISH
REFERENCE

determine

v.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //dəˈtɝmən// UK //dɪtˈɜːmɪn// de·ter·mine General-service

v. to find out the exact facts about something or to make a firm decision about a result. You use this when you want to be sure about the truth or control how something ends.

v. to establish something exactly by calculation, investigation, or observation; to settle or decide a dispute or question authoritatively. Transitive — requires a direct object or a subordinate clause.


SIMPLE

The doctors are trying to determine the cause of his illness.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee will meet tomorrow to determine which candidate is best suited for the leadership role.

COMPLEX

While several factors influence the market, consumer demand will ultimately determine whether the new product line succeeds or fails in the long term.

Synonyms
Origin

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”).

Usage

The verb is transitive and often takes a 'that' clause or a 'wh-' clause (e.g., 'determine whether', 'determine how').

Pitfall

The results determine from the dataThe results are determined by the dataDetermine is an active verb meaning 'to decide'; if the subject is the thing being decided, you must use the passive voice.

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