What does choose mean?
To "choose" is to make a selection from among two or more possibilities, whether picking an object, a person, or a path of action. It is one of the most fundamental verbs in English because it captures the act of deliberate preference and free will: we choose careers, partners, words, and sides. Grammatically, "choose" behaves as a regular transitive verb despite its irregular past tense forms — "chose" for the simple past and "chosen" for the past participle. It often appears with prepositions such as "between," "from," or "among" to signal the range of options being weighed. The word carries neutral connotations, though context can lend it weight: choosing can imply agency, responsibility, or even moral significance. Its derivatives include the noun-forming "chooser," the adjective "choosy" (informally suggesting fussy selectiveness), and the everyday noun "choice." Because decision-making is central to human life, "choose" remains among the most frequently used verbs across speech and writing alike.
verbTo pick out or select (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives; to decide to do or have a particular course of action.
- To pick out from two or more alternatives; to select.
- To decide on a course of action; to determine to do something.
"She chose the window seat so she could watch the coastline slip by."
"You can choose any dessert you like from the menu."
"He chose to stay home rather than attend the party."
The word "choose" comes from the same ancient root that gave us the word "choice" — a decision humans have been naming in English for over a thousand years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of choose
"Choose" derives from the Old English "cēosan," meaning to select or decide, which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root *keusan-. Cognates appear across the Germanic languages, including Old Norse "kjósa" and German "kiesen" (now largely archaic). The word has been part of English since before written records of the language began in earnest, making it well over a thousand years old. Its irregular past-tense pattern reflects sound changes inherited from Proto-Germanic strong verbs rather than later innovation.
Related word forms
How choose is actually used
"Choose" is an irregular verb: choose → chose → chosen. In formal writing, "choose" is preferred over more colloquial alternatives like "pick." The phrase "cannot choose but + infinitive" is archaic; modern usage favors "can only choose to."
Easily confused with choose
"Choose" is the present-tense verb meaning to select, while "chose" is its simple past tense — "I choose tea today, but yesterday I chose coffee."
"Choose" means to pick or select, whereas "loose" is an adjective meaning not tight or not fastened; they differ only slightly in spelling but entirely in meaning.