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

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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
  • Some states, including Maryland, prohibit certain hospitals from requiring prepayment simply to avoid offering financial assistance.
    — Julie Appleby, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than relying purely on attacking returns or clean sheets, players can now earn additional FPL points by reaching certain defensive thresholds.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of certain
Adjective
  • Another season of limited minutes and the potential for a big sale could plummet.
    — Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The unions offered limited press coverage at the start of the event before the doors close.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of limited
Adjective
  • That has left oil supplies being released in intermittent waves, rather than returning to the stable, steady flow seen in the past.
    — , CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike many other regions, Australian largetooth sawfish appear to have maintained relatively stable genetic diversity since at least the 1960s.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stable
Adjective
  • For that chunk of older Americans, there’s plenty of reason to be worried about making finite financial resources last.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • However, a refrigerator is, in the end, another appliance with a finite life.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of finite
Adjective
  • However, the Migration follows rain and grass, not a fixed calendar, which is why expert planning is essential.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Millyard chose a single, fixed ratio, relying entirely on the engine's massive, low-end torque.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of fixed
Adjective
  • My grandparents have found that compression socks help relieve some of the discomfort and swelling that comes from prolonged restricted movement by stimulating circulation in your legs.
    — Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The committee would give recommendations for the restricted funds accounts, and any action would need to be approved by the board or the congregation.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of restricted
Adjective
  • On just one unchanging set, an old-time concert hall designed by Rachel Hauck and made appropriately ominous, a tiny ensemble enacts a whole Greek tragedy of love and sacrifice that goes from the land of the living to the underworld and back.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • There is a fallacy in thinking of languages as brute and unchanging facts, laid out distinctly like elements in the periodic table.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of unchanging
Adjective
  • Many are confident that a deal will soon be reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even if there is no definite timeline.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Performance There’s a definite Jekyll-and-Hyde character about the way this new Amalfi Spider performs.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of definite

Browse Nearby Words

determinants
determinate
determination
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Cite this Entry

“Determinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/determinate. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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