opt

opt — verb

1. to decide which action, service, or possibility you want, after considering othe

1.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to decide which action, service, or possibility you want, after considering other available choices.

Example

After comparing prices, Maya opted for the smaller apartment near school.

opt for + noun after weighing alternatives

The hospital opted to send patients home before the storm arrived.

opt to + verb for a chosen action

Common collocations
  • opt for a cheaper plan
  • opt to wait
  • opt not to comment
  • opt for train travel
Synonyms
  • choose

    the most neutral and common verb for making a choice

  • decide

    focuses on reaching a decision, not on the alternative selected

  • select

    more careful or technical, often for picking from a list

Antonyms
  • reject

    focuses on refusing one option rather than choosing it

Grammar Patterns

opt to + verb

opt for + noun

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'for' before a noun phrase, or by a to-infinitive before an action. More formal than the everyday verb 'choose', and it is uncommon with a direct object alone.

Common Mistakes

We opted the cheaper plan.
We opted for the cheaper plan.
'opt' normally needs 'for' before a noun choice.
Nina opted going by train.
Nina opted to go by train.
use a to-infinitive after 'opt'.
Phrasal verbs

opt in

phrasal verb

To choose to take part in something or to allow something to happen.

Maya decided to opt in for the company's retirement plan.

Did you opt in to receive email updates from the store?

opt out

phrasal verb

To choose not to take part in something or to remove yourself from a situation.

Brian opted out of the school trip because he was sick.

You can opt out of the survey by clicking the link below.

opt — abbreviation

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Opt' means choosing one possibility after considering others, and it sounds more formal than everyday 'choose'. 'Choose' is the broad, neutral verb for almost any kind of choice. 'Select' often suggests a careful pick from a list, set, or group, and is common in technical or official contexts. 'Decide' focuses on reaching a conclusion; it may be followed by an action, but it does not always name the alternative chosen. 'Go for' is informal and conversational, often used for personal preferences. Compare: 'We opted for the smaller plan after checking the cost' sounds more formal than 'We chose the smaller plan.' In speech, 'I think I'll go for the soup' feels much more casual.

opt ↗choose ↗select ↗decide ↗go for ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'Opt' comes from the Latin verb 'optare', meaning 'choose' or 'wish for'. English took the Latin stem into formal vocabulary, and the short verb 'opt' became established in the nineteenth century, especially in patterns such as 'opt for' and 'opt to'. The abbreviation senses are later practical shortenings built from the same first three letters.