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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb resolve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of resolve are decide, determine, rule, and settle. While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.

he resolved to quit smoking

When might decide be a better fit than resolve?

In some situations, the words decide and resolve are roughly equivalent. However, decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.

she decided to sell her house

When could determine be used to replace resolve?

Although the words determine and resolve have much in common, determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.

determined the cause of the problem

When is it sensible to use rule instead of resolve?

The words rule and resolve can be used in similar contexts, but rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.

the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

When would settle be a good substitute for resolve?

While the synonyms settle and resolve are close in meaning, settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.

the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of resolve
Verb
More than 1800 cases have been reviewed by the Pentagon so far, with the vast majority ultimately resolved as likely balloons, drones, debris or animals based on a comprehensive review of available data. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 4 June 2025 That development was paused amid a tangle of lawsuits in 2023 and 2024, but is moving forward after the cases were resolved in November and March. Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2025
Noun
Editors’ Picks More U.S. political news: A damning new book about Joe Biden depicts an aging president surrounded by family and aides who enabled his quixotic resolve to run for a second term. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 14 May 2025 Luckily for Diggins, his resolve was steeled from his experiences with discipline in Japan. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for resolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resolve
Verb
  • As mentioned above, there are myriad factors—international transportation bottlenecks, natural disasters and supplier insolvency, among others—that need to be considered simultaneously in real time to decide what’s best for the business.
    Sadagopan S, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • But given a chance to keep the cash that Biden had sent the State flowing, Trump has decided to throttle it back.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • Eventually the problem of making safe, fuel-efficient, consumer-friendly automobiles was more or less solved.
    Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • With an intention to welcome 1 million foreign workers over the next three years, the plan to solve Spain's overtourism issues has never been more prescient.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • Divided Society Finally, the uneven distribution of access to and benefits from humanoid technology could divide society even further.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • These changes, called genetic mutations, cause bone marrow cells to grow and divide too quickly.11 Experts don’t fully understand why these genetic mutations happen.
    Health, Health, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • While an immigration judge in Louisiana has found Khalil deportable based on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s determination, his lawyers separately brought the federal court case to ask Farbiaz to weigh in on the constitutional issues at play.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 29 May 2025
  • And there is determination and Stovall has plenty of that.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • There are so many reasons why a player may choose to play in a particular location, for a particular team, for a particular coach that have nothing to do with the tax situation in that market.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 5 June 2025
  • Keene Housing is among those that have chosen to drop their time limits.
    Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • But things quickly take a dark turn with the planet seeming to unravel.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
  • Opponents of the governor’s veto believe the expenditure of that energy is necessary and point to efforts in Washington to unravel DEI as a reason Maryland should commit itself to study reparations.
    Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Airlines also often try to separate business travelers from leisure travelers, because business travelers are typically less price sensitive.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • There was gold but also plenty of garbage, with little time to separate the two.
    Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • The three ultra moderates also voiced alarm at their colleagues’ decision to scale back the mayor’s plan for increasing hiring at the fire department.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
  • A number of content producers, from the New York Times to musicians and actors are suing various services and there have yet to be any firm decisions about what can or cannot be used with GenAI.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Resolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resolve. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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