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Ascertain vs. Determine: What's the Difference?

Ascertain and Determine Definitions

Ascertain

To discover with certainty, as through examination or experimentation.

Determine

To establish or ascertain definitely, as after consideration, investigation, or calculation
Determined the easiest way to reach the summit.

Ascertain

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

Determine

To give direction to by making decisions; devise or control
The school board determines educational policy.

Ascertain

To find out definitely; to discover or establish.
As soon as we ascertain what the situation is, we can plan how to proceed.
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Determine

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

Ascertain

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

Determine

To cause (someone) to come to a decision or resolution
"It was the discovery ... of this very project of hers, which determined him to come forward at once, own it all to his uncle" (Jane Austen).

Ascertain

(archaic) To establish, to prove.

Determine

To be the cause of; bring about a result regarding
The genes that determine eye color.
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Ascertain

(archaic) To ensure or effect.

Determine

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

Ascertain

To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise.
When the blessed Virgin was so ascertained.
Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and that the Almighty had in a dream ascertained him of its effects.

Determine

(Logic) To explain or limit by adding differences.

Ascertain

To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine.
The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth.
The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and ascertain the condemnation.
The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers.
The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation.

Determine

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

Ascertain

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.
He was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on England was practicable.

Determine

To reach a decision; resolve
Determined to become a better pilot.
Determined on a course of treatment.

Ascertain

After a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study;
Find the product of two numbers
The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize

Determine

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

Ascertain

Be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something;
He verified that the valves were closed
See that the curtains are closed
Control the quality of the product

Determine

To set the boundaries or limits of.

Ascertain

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort;
I want to see whether she speaks French
See whether it works
Find out if he speaks Russian
Check whether the train leaves on time

Determine

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

Ascertain

Learn or discover with certainty

Determine

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

Determine

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

Determine

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

Determine

To resolve (to do something); to establish a fixed intention; to cause (something) to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
I determined to go home at once.

Determine

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

Determine

To bring to an end; to finish.

Determine

To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate.
[God] hath determined the times before appointed.

Determine

To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish.
The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight.
Now, where is he that will not stay so longTill his friend sickness hath determined me?

Determine

To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God.
Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life.

Determine

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.

Determine

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.

Determine

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.

Determine

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.

Determine

To define or limit by adding a differentia.

Determine

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

Determine

To come to an end; to end; to terminate.
He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published an ill book must know that his life determine not together.
Estates may determine on future contingencies.

Determine

To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; - often with on.
He shall pay as the judges determine.

Determine

After a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study;
Find the product of two numbers
The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize

Determine

Shape or influence; give direction to;
Experience often determines ability
Mold public opinion

Determine

Fix conclusively or authoritatively;
Set the rules

Determine

Decide upon or fix definitely;
Fix the variables
Specify the parameters

Determine

Reach, make, or come to a decision about something;
We finally decided after lengthy deliberations

Determine

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

Determine

Settle conclusively; come to terms;
We finally settled the argument

Determine

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort;
I want to see whether she speaks French
See whether it works
Find out if he speaks Russian
Check whether the train leaves on time

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