select

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/sɪˈlɛkt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/sɪˈlɛkt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(si lekt)

WordReference Collins English Usage © 2025
choose
When you choose someone or something from a group of people or things, you decide which one you want.
Why did he choose these particular places?
The past tense of choose is chose, not ‘choosed’. The past participle is chosen.
I chose a yellow dress.
Miles Davis was chosen as the principal soloist on both works.
‘pick’ and ‘select’
Pick and select have very similar meanings to choose. Select is more formal than choose or pick, and is not usually used in conversation.
Next time let's pick somebody who can fight.
They select books that seem to them important.
‘appoint’
If you appoint someone to a job or official position, you formally choose them for it.
It made sense to appoint a banker to this job.
The Prime Minister has appointed a civilian as defence minister.
‘choose to’
If someone chooses to do something, they do it because they want to or because they feel it is right.
Some women choose to manage on their own.
The majority of people do not choose to be a single parent.
The way we choose to bring up children is vitally important.
You do not say that someone ‘picks to do’ something or ‘selects to do’ something.
'select' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

Forum discussions with the word(s) "select" in the title:

  • Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

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