What does "option" mean?
One of a set of choices that can be made.
Option
/ˈɒpʃən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of a set of choices that can be made.
- Grammar: option is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: alternative, choice, selection, flag.
- Useful contrasts: commandment, decline, dictates.
- Usage evidence: In the U.S., you have the option, when you enter a restaurant, to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section.
How to use "option"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "option" 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 "option" 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 "option" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "option" 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 "option" is acting as 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 "alternative" 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 "option", 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 One of a set of choices that can be made.
"Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot."
- 2 the act of choosing or selecting wordnet
- 3 The freedom or right to choose.
- 4 one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen wordnet
- 5 A contract giving the holder the right to buy or sell an asset at a set strike price; can apply to financial market transactions, or to ordinary transactions for tangible assets such as a residence or automobile.
"There's a book out on us and there's gonna be a movie based on the book. ABC has bought the option for a movie to be made specially for T.V."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 the right to buy or sell property at an agreed price; the right is purchased and if it is not exercised by a stated date the money is forfeited wordnet
- 7 The acquiring or retention of a nationality through personal choice as a right, bypassing selective legal mechanisms for naturalization, especially in cases where a territory is transferred or passed on from one state to another. uncountable
"At that time every emigrant who was made aware of such a notification submitted his application for option to the British Consuls within the period prescribed."
Verb
- 1 To purchase an option on something.
"The new novel was optioned by the film studio, but they'll probably never decide to make a movie from it."
- 2 To configure, by setting an option. dated
"The device that is to echo the characters should be optioned for echoplexing."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In the U.S., you have the option, when you enter a restaurant, to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "option"?
Common synonyms include: alternative, choice, selection, flag, acquire, activity feature.
How do you use "option" in a sentence?
In the U.S., you have the option, when you enter a restaurant, to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section.
How do you pronounce "option"?
Pronounced /ˈɒpʃən/.
Etymology
From French option, from Latin optiō (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from optō (“I choose, select”). Equivalent to opt + -ion.