decide and determine share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. decide means “reach, make, or come to a decision about something”. determine means “establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study”. decide is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˌdɪˈsaɪd/
1.v.reach, make, or come to a decision about something
“We finally decided after lengthy deliberations”
2.v.bring to an end; settle conclusively
“The case was decided”
3.v.cause to decide
“This new development finally decided me!”
/dəˈtɝmən/
1.v.establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
“find the product of two numbers”
2.v.shape or influence; give direction to
“experience often determines ability”
3.v.fix conclusively or authoritatively
“set the rules”
| decide | determine | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˌdɪˈsaɪd/ | /dəˈtɝmən/ |
| Said | dis-AHYD | duh-TUR-muhn |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Letters | 6 | 9 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb |
| Senses | 4 | 8 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | make up one's mind, determine | find, find out, ascertain |
Full entry for decide · Full entry for determine · More comparisons