choose

verb \ˈchüz\

: to decide that a particular person or thing is the one that you want

: to make a choice about what to do

chose \ˈchōz\ cho·sen \ˈchō-z^ən\ choos·ing \ˈchü-ziŋ\

Full Definition of CHOOSE

transitive verb

a : to select freely and after consideration <choose a career>

b : to decide on especially by vote : elect <chose her as captain>

a : to have a preference for <choose one car over another>

b : decide <chose to go by train>

intransitive verb

: to make a selection <finding it hard to choose>

: to take an alternative —used after cannot and usually followed by but <when earth is so kind, men cannot choose but be happy — J. A. Froude>

— choos·er \ˈchü-zər\ noun

See choose defined for English-language learners

See choose defined for kids

Examples of CHOOSE

Each year thousands of college students choose volunteer-service trips over beach bumming during their spring breaks and summer vacations. —Edward M. Kennedy, Time, 22 Sept. 2008
I had been invited to choose certain things that I might want from the house, but although there were indeed a couple of things that I would have liked, I was withheld from making the trip … —Alice Adams, “Why I Write,” in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987
… as an instructor at New York University he chose to live by himself in lodgings that for the time must have been very expensive … —William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (l953) 1982
Any summary I might try to write for the rest of the novel would be worthless and I don't choose to waste my time at it. —Flannery O'Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
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Origin of CHOOSE

Middle English chosen, from Old English cēosan; akin to Old High German kiosan to choose, Latin gustare to taste

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to CHOOSE

Synonyms: cherry-pick, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, select, single (out), tag, take

Antonyms: decline, refuse, reject, turn down

Rhymes with CHOOSE

blues, booze, bruise, cruise, cruse, Druze, flews, fuse, lose, Meuse, muse, news, ooze, Ouse, roose, ruse, schmooze, snooze, trews, use, whose

CHOOSE Defined for Kids

choose

verb \ˈchüz\

chose \ˈchōz\cho·sen \ˈchō-z^ən\choos·ing

Definition of CHOOSE for Kids

: to select freely and after careful thought <choose a leader>

: to decide what to do <We chose to leave.>

: to see fit <Do as you choose.>

Synonym Discussion of CHOOSE

choose, elect, and select mean to decide upon one possibility from among several. choose is used for making a decision after careful thought. <She chose to follow the right course.> elect may be used for the deliberate picking of one thing over another. <Voters elect one candidate for president.> select is used when there are many things from which to choose. <Customers may select from a variety of goods.>