ENGLISH
REFERENCE

opt

v.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈɑpt// UK //ˈɒpt// opt

v. to make a choice from a list of possibilities. You use this when you decide to do one thing instead of another.

v. to make a choice from a range of possibilities. Intransitive; requires a prepositional phrase to indicate the selected option.


SIMPLE

Many students opt to study from home.

CONTEXTUAL

After reviewing the high cost of city living, the couple decided to opt for a smaller apartment in the suburbs.

COMPLEX

Faced with a volatile market, many investors opt for stable government bonds rather than riskier equity portfolios to protect their capital.

Synonyms
Origin

First attested in 1853; borrowed from French opter, from Latin optō (“to choose; to select”). Doublet of optate.

Usage

The verb is intransitive and typically takes the preposition 'for' before a noun or 'to' before an infinitive.

Pitfall

I opt the blue carI opt for the blue carOpt is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; it requires the preposition 'for' before a noun.

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