choose

chooseverb

American /tʃuz/ British /tʃuːz/ Choose rhymes with news. Its past tense chose rhymes with nose.

third-person singular chooses past tense chose past participle chosen present participle choosing

very commondefining vocabulary

pickdecide which person or thing you want from two or more
transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj] verb + wh-clause [V + wh] verb + object + as + noun or adjective [V + obj + as]
- You can choose any color you like. V + obj
- It was hard to choose between the two jobs. V + prep + obj
- I can't choose which dress to wear. V + wh
- The club chose Mari as its new captain. V + obj + as
Collocations
verb + preposition choose between, choose from, choose among
verb + adverb choose carefully, choose wisely, choose at random
Synonyms pick; select
Compare elect
decide to dodecide to do something, especially when you could do something else
transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + to-infinitive [V + to-inf]
- She chose to stay at home instead of going to the party. V + to-inf
- Many people choose not to drive in the city. V + to-inf (with not)
- You can leave early if you choose.
Collocations
phrase choose to do something, choose not to do something, if you choose
Synonyms decide; elect

Word family

choice
choosy

Choosing between choose · pick · select

Choose is the usual word for deciding which one you want: choose a present. Pick means the same but is less formal and often suggests a quick decision: just pick one. Select is formal and suggests careful choosing from many: select the best photos from hundreds.

Common mistakes

Yesterday I choosed a new phone. Yesterday I chose a new phone.
The past tense is chose and the past participle is chosen.

You have to choose between the red one or the blue one. You have to choose between the red one and the blue one.
Choose between takes and; choose alone can take or: choose the red one or the blue one.

For translators

Pronunciation trap Learners often mix up choose (CHOOZ, the present) and chose (CHOHZ, the past). The spelling oo gives the sound in food; the single o gives the sound in nose.