1
2
a
: to have a preference for
choose one car over another
b
: decide
chose to go by train
1
: to make a selection
finding it hard to choose
2
: 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
J. A. FroudeSynonyms
Examples of choose in a Sentence
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, (1953) 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
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
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, (1953) 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
The political party chose a leader.
They chose her as the team captain.
We've chosen a different time to go.
He was chosen because he's qualified for the job.
She was chosen from a long list of people.
He chose his words carefully.
Which shirt would you choose?
How do I choose when there's so much available?
Let everyone choose for themselves.
You can choose from among a number of alternatives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Celebrities are among the millions of voters headed to the polls to choose between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump (or a handful of third party candidates) to become the 47th president of the United States.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024
When respondents were asked to choose only between Harris and Trump, the vice president's lead grew slightly to 49%-47%, with 4% undecided.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Many states that rely on advisory committee recommendations for vaccination schedules and mandates could also choose to ignore them if people sympathetic to Kennedy’s views join the panels.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Flashback: The last time a majority of Washington state voters chose a Republican for president was in 1984, when the state went for Ronald Reagan.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choose 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Ew Staff, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024
When respondents were asked to choose only between Harris and Trump, the vice president's lead grew slightly to 49%-47%, with 4% undecided.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Many states that rely on advisory committee recommendations for vaccination schedules and mandates could also choose to ignore them if people sympathetic to Kennedy’s views join the panels.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Flashback: The last time a majority of Washington state voters chose a Republican for president was in 1984, when the state went for Ronald Reagan.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for choose
Dictionary Entries Near choose
Cite this Entry
“Choose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choose. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share