determine and set share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. determine means “establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study”. set means “put into a certain place or abstract location”. set is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/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”
/ˈsɛt/
1.v.put into a certain place or abstract location
“Put your things here”
2.v.fix conclusively or authoritatively
“set the rules”
3.v.decide upon or fix definitely
“fix the variables”
| determine | set | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dəˈtɝmən/ | /ˈsɛt/ |
| Said | duh-TUR-muhn | set |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 9 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun, adjective |
| Senses | 8 | 45 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | find, find out, ascertain | put, place, pose |
Full entry for determine · Full entry for set · More comparisons