Ascertain vs. Determine: What's the Difference?

To discover with certainty, as through examination or experimentation.

To establish or ascertain definitely, as after consideration, investigation, or calculation

(Archaic) To make certain, definite, and precise.

To give direction to by making decisions; devise or control

To find out definitely; to discover or establish.

To decide or settle (a dispute, for example) conclusively and authoritatively.

(obsolete) To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform.

To cause (someone) to come to a decision or resolution

(archaic) To establish, to prove.

To be the cause of; bring about a result regarding

(archaic) To ensure or effect.

(Mathematics) To fix or define the position, form, or configuration of.

To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise.

(Logic) To explain or limit by adding differences.

To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine.

(Archaic) To put an end to legally; terminate under the law.

To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal.

To reach a decision; resolve

After a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study;

(Archaic) To come to an end through legal means.

Be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something;

To set the boundaries or limits of.

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort;

To ascertain definitely; to figure out, find out, or conclude by analyzing, calculating, or investigating.

Learn or discover with certainty

To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.

To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to.

To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.

To resolve (to do something); to establish a fixed intention; to cause (something) to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.

(logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.

To bring to an end; to finish.

To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate.

To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish.

To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.

To fix the course of; to impel and direct; - with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course.

To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name.

To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause.

To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately.

To define or limit by adding a differentia.

To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water.

To come to an end; to end; to terminate.

To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; - often with on.

After a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study;

Shape or influence; give direction to;

Fix conclusively or authoritatively;

Decide upon or fix definitely;

Reach, make, or come to a decision about something;

Fix in scope; fix the boundaries of; the tree determines the border of the property

Settle conclusively; come to terms;

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort;