determinate

adjective

di-ˈtər-mə-nət How to pronounce determinate (audio)
Definition of determinatenext
1
as in certain
having been established and usually not subject to change a determinate order of succession to the throne

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in limited
having distinct or certain limits contestants have a determinate length of time to answer the questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 determinate Pruning is unnecessary because determinate tomatoes only grow to a certain height and then stop producing foliage. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026 Plants tend to grow taller than determinate types and are commonly pruned to maintain a single central stem. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 June 2026 Compassionate release emerged from the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, a statute better known for eliminating parole and ushering in the modern era of determinate sentencing. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 Tomato cages are best used for low-maintenance, determinate, and bushy tomatoes, and are overall easier to set up than stakes. — Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for determinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for determinate
  1. certain
  2. limited
  3. stable
  4. finite
  5. fixed
  6. restricted
  7. unchanging
  8. definite
Adjective
  • Los Angeles officials began discussing a ban after the city of Rialto became the first to restrict certain sales of nitrous oxide in 2017.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Washington’s export bans restrict their access to the best AI chips, like certain models from Nvidia and AMD, while Beijing has restricted imports of some less powerful options.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of certain
Adjective
  • The collaboration centers on Muse Spark Open, the most capable open-weight model released under a license that allows for limited commercial use, according to Meta.
    — Kif Leswing,Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Departments with limited staffing may not have the resources to dedicate multiple investigators to tracking down a suspect vehicle.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of limited
Adjective
  • Compact optical clocks could eventually contribute to such systems by providing stable timing references onboard vehicles, reducing dependence on external signals.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Under some circumstances, however, solutions exist that allow for a stable system even if two such planets interact.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stable
Adjective
  • For many, being told that life is a series of dark trade-offs in a deadly struggle over finite resources does not sound far-fetched at all.
    — Via Haymarket Books, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Intelligence may become abundant, but the physical world remains stubbornly finite.
    — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of finite
Adjective
  • Most trailers in this weight class include a topper tent for accommodations or a fixed bed inside a teardrop shell.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For seniors with a fixed income, that extra cash is often spendable money that ends up back in the economy.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of fixed
Adjective
  • Drying towels separately prevents longer drying times caused by restricted airflow and moisture differences.
    — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The policy prohibited speakers from directing remarks to individual council members and restricted comments considered personal or abusive.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of restricted
Adjective
  • His unchanging mind leads to an act of extreme violence against Leo.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Everything remains perfect and unchanging, but thanks to this constant attention.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of unchanging
Adjective
  • There is a definite handmade quality to the props and puppets that are part of the show’s charm.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Food and drink The food is a definite highlight here, with several places to eat and drink.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of definite

Browse Nearby Words

determinants
determinate
determination
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Determinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/determinate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All