What does "choose" mean?
The act of choosing; selection.
Choose
/t͡ʃuːz/ conj, noun, verb
conj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of choosing; selection.
- Grammar: choose is listed as conj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: prefer, select, decide, determine.
- Useful contrasts: unselected, dither, teetering.
- Usage evidence: You may choose either of the two books.
How to use "choose"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "choose" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "choose" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "choose" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "choose" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "choose" is acting as conj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "prefer" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "choose", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of choosing; selection. Northern-England, Scotland, obsolete
- 2 The power, right, or privilege of choosing; election. Northern-England, Scotland, obsolete
Verb
- 1 To pick; to make the choice of; to select.
"I chose a nice ripe apple from the fruit bowl."
- 2 pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives wordnet
- 3 To elect.
"He was chosen as president in 1990."
- 4 select as an alternative over another wordnet
- 5 To decide to act in a certain way.
"I chose to walk to work today."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 see fit or proper to act in a certain way; decide to act in a certain way wordnet
- 7 To prefer; to wish; to desire.
"The landlady now returned to know if we did not choose a more genteel apartment."
Conjunction
- 1 The binomial coefficient of the previous and following number.
"The number of distinct subsets of size k from a set of size n is tbinom nk or "n choose k"."
Antonyms
Example
"You may choose either of the two books."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "choose"?
Common synonyms include: prefer, select, decide, determine, elect, favor.
How do you use "choose" in a sentence?
You may choose either of the two books.
How do you pronounce "choose"?
Pronounced /t͡ʃuːz/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English cheosen, chesen, from Old English ċēosan (“to choose, seek out, select, elect, decide, test, accept, settle for, approve”), from Proto-West Germanic *keusan, from Proto-Germanic *keusaną (“to taste, choose”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵéwseti, from *ǵews- (“to taste, try”). Cognate with Scots chuise, cheese (“to choose”), North Frisian kese (“to choose”), Saterland Frisian kjoze (“to choose”), West Frisian kieze (“to choose”), Dutch kiezen (“to choose”), French choisir (“to choose”), Low German kesen (“to choose”), German Low German kiesen (“to pick, select”), archaic and partially obsolete German kiesen (“to choose”), Danish kyse (“to frighten (via ‘to charm, allure’ and ‘to enchant’)”), Norwegian kjose (“to choose”), Swedish tjusa (“to charm, allure, enchant”), Icelandic kjósa (“to choose, vote, elect”), Gothic 𐌺𐌹𐌿𐍃𐌰𐌽 (kiusan, “to test”), Latin gustō (“I taste, sample”), Ancient Greek γεύω (geúō, “to feed”), Sanskrit जोषति (jóṣati, “to like, enjoy”), Russian кушать (kúšatʹ, “to have a meal, to eat”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English chose, chos, chooce, a Northern dialectal form of Middle English chois (“choice”). Cognate with Scots chose, choose, chuse (“choosing, choice, selection”). Doublet of choice, which see for more.