- (may take a clause or an infinitive as object; when intr, sometimes followed by on or about)
to reach a decision: decide what you want, he decided to go - (transitive)
to cause (a person) to reach a decision - (transitive)
to determine or settle (a contest or question) - (transitive)
to influence decisively the outcome of (a contest or question) - (intr; followed by for or against)
to pronounce a formal verdict
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
de•cide /dɪˈsaɪd/USA pronunciation
v., -cid•ed, -cid•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to conclude (a dispute) by awarding victory to one side;
settle: [ ~ + obj]:to decide an argument.[ ~ + for/against/in favor of + obj]:decided in favor of the plaintiff. - to choose;
make up one's mind:[~ + to + verb]decided to learn how to type faster.[ ~ + (that) clause]:She decided that she would stay. - [ ~ + obj + to + verb] to bring (a person) to a decision;
persuade or convince:What decided you to take the job?
- decide is a verb, decisive is an adjective, decision is a noun:He can't decide what to eat for breakfast. He's not very decisive when he needs to take action. He made a decision about what to eat for breakfast.
de•cide
(di sīd′),USA pronunciation v., -cid•ed, -cid•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
de•cid′er, n.
v.t.
- to solve or conclude (a question, controversy, or struggle) by giving victory to one side:The judge decided the case in favor of the plaintiff.
- to determine or settle (something in dispute or doubt):to decide an argument.
- to bring (a person) to a decision;
persuade or convince:The new evidence decided him.
v.i.
- to settle something in dispute or doubt:The judge decided in favor of the plaintiff.
- to make a judgment or determine a preference;
come to a conclusion.
- Latin dēcīdere literally, to cut off, equivalent. to dē- de- + -cīdere (combining form of caedere to cut)
- Middle French decider
- Middle English deciden 1350–1400
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Decide, resolve, determine imply settling upon a purpose and being able to adhere to it. To decide is to make up one's mind as to what shall be done and the way to do it:He decided to go today.To resolve is to show firmness of purpose:He resolved to ask for a promotion.To determine is to make up one's mind and then to stick to a fixed or settled purpose:determined to maintain his position at all costs.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'decide on' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):