determine upon

USAGE SUMMARY

"determine upon" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to deliberately deciding or settling on something. For example: "After much thought, the council finally determined upon a course of action."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The object of the Chinese demand is evidently to forestall the action of the conference of representatives of the group of international bankers in Paris to determine upon the terms upon which they will undertake the financing of China and to settle the question of Russian and Japanese participation, which has brought about a serious crisis.

The New York Times

These definitions encompass related, but slightly different ideas around the meaning of employability making it difficult to determine upon one solitary definition.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

In this study, we analyzed 48 different cytokines in a total of 25 patients with severe AP to determine, upon admission to hospital, novel markers specific for such patients.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"On Madison Avenue, I don't think people make their shopping trips determined upon the cost of the parking meters," said Matthew Bauer, president of the Madison Avenue BID.

The New York Times

Consultations are necessary in "difficult or protracted cases," Sir Thomas wrote, and "no important operation should be determined upon" without them.

The New York Times - Health

Every engineer knows the effect of high pressure upon a green joint, but as the Novelty had been entered for this day's contest, the proprietors determined upon starting.

The Guardian

By about 1563 64 Archbishop Matthew Parker of Canterbury had determined upon its execution and the work was apportioned among many scholars, most of them bishops, from which the popular name was derived.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After two years with Gruner, he visited Pestalozzi at Yverdon, studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and eventually determined upon establishing his own school, founded on what he considered to be psychological bases.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This proximity is determined upon a given search radius.

International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering

The value of c0 was determined upon conjecture and directly influences the maximum possible deforestation rate.

Carbon Balance and Management

where C 5 is a constant of integration to be determined upon applying boundary conditions.

Boundary Value Problems

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically correct, consider using more common alternatives like "decide on" or "settle on" to maintain a natural tone in contemporary writing.

Common error

Avoid using "determine upon" in informal contexts or when simpler alternatives are more appropriate, as it can make your writing sound stilted or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "determine upon" functions as a phrasal verb, signifying the act of reaching a decision or settling on a specific course of action. The examples from Ludwig show its usage in contexts where a deliberate choice is being made.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "determine upon" is a grammatically correct phrasal verb that signifies making a decision or settling on something. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, it leans towards formality and is less common in contemporary usage. While sources like The New York Times and scientific journals employ it, simpler alternatives such as "decide on" or "settle on" are often preferred for their natural tone. Therefore, it's best to reserve "determine upon" for contexts where a formal tone is desired, avoiding it in everyday writing to prevent sounding overly stilted.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decide on

Represents a more common and straightforward alternative to "determine upon".

settle on

Implies reaching a decision after considering multiple options, similar to "determine upon".

resolve to

Suggests a firm decision or commitment to a course of action.

conclude upon

Indicates reaching a decision based on some reasoning.

establish

Focuses on the act of setting something firmly or officially.

ascertain

Emphasizes the act of finding something out for certain.

choose

A basic synonym indicating the act of selecting from alternatives.

elect to

A more formal way of saying 'choose to do something'.

figure out

Indicates solving or understanding something before deciding.

make a decision about

A more verbose but common way to express reaching a conclusion.

FAQs

How can I use "determine upon" in a sentence?

You can use "determine upon" to mean to decide or settle on something after consideration. For example: "The committee will determine upon a course of action next week."

What's a simpler alternative to "determine upon"?

Alternatives to "determine upon" include "decide on", "settle on", or "resolve to".

Is "determine upon" too formal for everyday writing?

Yes, "determine upon" can sound quite formal. In most everyday writing scenarios, alternatives like "decide on" or "choose" are generally more suitable.

What's the difference between "determine upon" and "decide on"?

"Determine upon" and "decide on" are similar in meaning, but "determine upon" carries a more formal tone and is less frequently used in modern English.