make up one's mind

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make up one's mind" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that someone has reached a decision. For example: After considering all her options, Mandy finally made up her mind and decided to accept the job offer.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Might do him good to realize it needn't take five acts to make up one's mind".

The New York Times - Books

Here it suggests a simple inability to make up one's mind about how to tell the story and saps some of the book's power.

The New York Times - Books

The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing — to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts, not a select party.

The New Yorker

Here is a break in the tyrannical course of irreparable events; a period in which to look around upon the world and upon oneself without the sense of an enemy at one's back or the insistent pressure to make up one's mind; a moment in which to taste the mystery without the necessity of seeking a solution.

The Guardian - Opinion

A period of solitude after consultation and self-education is a useful condition in which to make up one's mind about treatment options.

SEP

In a later letter he wrote, "The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing -- to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Listening to it and abiding by it means making up one's mind about what is good and evil".

The New York Times

She stressed the importance of collecting conflicting information before making up one's mind, of calibrating one's certainty level to the strength of the evidence, of enduring uncertainty for long stretches as an answer became clear, of correcting for one's biases.

The New Yorker

It was also established whether making up one's mind in such situation lead to avoidance of such situations.

BMC Psychiatry

Expressing or declaring an intention and adding 'I know …' is only a way of revealing that one has made up one's mind, or of an expression of a concession, or of that one has finally made a difficult decision.

Biology and Philosophy

At any rate, those that already had models they liked made very little effort to make them accessible to the public.Part of the attraction of Mr Piketty's framework is that it leaves one free to make up one's own mind about what is likely to happen.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make up one's mind", ensure the context clearly indicates the decision-making process. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the subject and object of the decision.

Common error

Ensure that the pronoun used with "make up" is consistent throughout the sentence. For example, avoid switching between "make up their mind" and "make up his mind" within the same context unless referring to different individuals.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make up one's mind" functions as an idiomatic expression indicating the act of reaching a decision or forming a judgment. Ludwig examples show its use across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "make up one's mind" is a grammatically sound and common idiomatic expression that means to reach a decision. It's versatile, fitting in various contexts from news to science, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples. While generally neutral in register, it's crucial to maintain pronoun consistency and ensure clarity in usage. Ultimately, "make up one's mind" is a valuable phrase for conveying resolution and decisiveness in communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Reach a decision

Focuses on the act of concluding a deliberation process.

Decide upon something

A more formal and slightly archaic way of saying to decide.

Come to a conclusion

Implies a logical progression towards an understanding or judgment.

Form an opinion

Emphasizes the subjective aspect of developing a viewpoint.

Settle on a decision

Suggests choosing from multiple options and finalizing the selection.

Arrive at a judgment

Implies a more formal or considered evaluation.

Determine one's stance

Highlights the act of defining a position on a particular issue.

Take a position

Suggests adopting a clear and often public viewpoint.

Make a determination

Emphasizes the act of officially deciding something.

Resolve to do something

Indicates a firm decision to take a specific action.

FAQs

How can I use "make up one's mind" in a sentence?

You can use "make up one's mind" to indicate that someone has reached a decision after considering various options. For instance, "After careful consideration, she finally "made up her mind" to accept the offer".

What's a simpler way to say "make up one's mind"?

Alternatives to "make up one's mind" include "decide", "determine", or "choose", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "make up their minds" instead of "make up one's mind"?

Yes, "make up their minds" is correct when referring to a group of people. "One's" is used for singular, gender-neutral references, while "their" is used for plural references.

What is the difference between "make up one's mind" and "be of two minds"?

"Make up one's mind" means to reach a decision, while "be of two minds" means to be undecided or having conflicting opinions about something. The former implies resolution, while the latter indicates indecision.