Noun B1 — Intermediate /ˈɒp.ʃən/

Option — Definition, Examples & Pronunciation

A choice you can make — the power to decide between alternatives.

Quick Definition

An option is a choice available to someone; the right to buy or sell something at a fixed price within a set period; or an extra feature that can be selected. She considered all her options before choosing the best study method for her.

What Does Option Mean?

Option is one of the most versatile nouns in English, covering three main senses. In everyday use it simply means a possible choice: "We have two options — stay or leave." In commerce and finance, it refers to a contractual right to buy or sell an asset at an agreed price before a deadline. In product and technology contexts, it describes an additional feature that can be added or enabled, such as a software option or a factory-fitted car option.

Understanding all three senses will help you read English texts from academic essays and business emails right through to software manuals and financial news. At B1–B2 level, the everyday "choice" sense is by far the most frequent, so start there and build outward.

Note that option is often near-synonymous with choice and alternative, but there is a subtle distinction: a choice is the act of deciding, while an option is one of the things you can choose from. You select from options; you make a choice.

Etymology: From Latin optio ("free choice, wish"), from the verb optare ("to choose, to wish for"). It entered English via French option in the early 17th century. The same Latin root gives us opt (to choose), optimal (best possible), optimum (the most favourable condition), and adopt (to take something as your own). The suffix -ion turns the verb into a noun naming the act or result of choosing.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & usage note
She considered all her options before choosing the best study method for her. A2 — basic plural use
There are three options on the menu today: soup, salad, or pasta. B1 — listing available choices
If the train is cancelled, our best option is to hire a car and drive. B1 — best option construction
The company decided to keep its options open rather than sign an exclusive contract. B2 — idiomatic phrase: keep options open
The hedge fund exercised its call option on the shares before the expiry date, securing a significant profit. C1 — financial/legal register; exercise an option

Collocations

CollocationExample
consider your optionsTake a few days to consider your options carefully.
explore optionsThe team met to explore all available options.
have the optionStudents have the option to study abroad in their third year.
keep options openShe turned down the offer because she wanted to keep her options open.
limited optionsWith such a tight budget, we had very limited options.
best optionTaking the early train is probably the best option.
no option but toHe had no option but to accept the terms of the contract.
exercise an optionThe publisher exercised its option to buy the sequel rights.
available optionsPlease review all available options before proceeding.
default optionThe software installs with the default option already selected.

Usage Notes

Option vs choice vs alternative: These three words overlap greatly. Option stresses that something is available to you from a set of possibilities. Choice often emphasises the act of deciding. Alternative specifically implies there are only two possibilities, or that one thing can replace another. In practice, all three are used interchangeably in informal English.

Plural vs singular: Use the plural options when listing or discussing several possibilities ("We have several options"). Use the singular when referring to a specific right or feature ("This model comes with a sunroof as a factory option").

Option + infinitive: You can say "the option to do something": "You have the option to pay in instalments." This construction is very common in formal and business English. Avoid "the option of doing" in formal writing, though it is widely heard in speech.

Register: Option is neutral and appears in everyday conversation, academic writing, business English, and technical documentation. The financial sense ("call option", "put option", "exercise an option") belongs to specialist register and is less common in general ESL contexts.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

She had no option than to apologise. (incorrect preposition)

She had no option but to apologise. (the fixed phrase is no option but to)

It is an optional to attend the lecture. (adjective used as noun)

Attendance at the lecture is optional. (use the adjective predicatively)

We discussed about our options. (redundant preposition)

We discussed our options. (discuss does not take about)

Related Words

opt (verb) optional (adjective) optionally (adverb) choice alternative preference decision possibility optimum

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “option”

What does option mean?
Option means a choice that is available to you from a set of possibilities. It can also mean the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell something at a fixed price, or an extra feature you can add to a product or service. Example: ‘We have three options: take the train, drive, or fly.’
What is the difference between option and choice?
Both words describe alternatives, but choice often refers to the act of deciding, whereas option refers to one of the things you can choose from. You make a choice between options. For example: ‘She had three options and made her choice quickly.’ In practice, the two words are frequently used interchangeably in everyday English.
Is option countable or uncountable?
Option is a countable noun. You can say ‘one option’, ‘two options’, ‘several options’. It is almost never used as an uncountable noun. The plural ‘options’ is very common: ‘We need to consider all our options before deciding.’
What does ‘keep your options open’ mean?
The phrase ‘keep your options open’ means to avoid committing to one course of action so that you can still choose freely later. It is often used in career, relationship, or business contexts: ‘He decided not to sign the contract yet — he wanted to keep his options open.’
How is option used in finance?
In finance, an option is a contract that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) an asset at a predetermined price on or before a specific date. This meaning is more formal and specialist, but it follows naturally from the general sense of ‘a right to choose’.
What is the adjective form of option?
The adjective form is ‘optional’: ‘Attendance at the workshop is optional.’ This means something is available as a choice but not required. The adverb form is ‘optionally’. Note that ‘option’ itself is not used as an adjective — you cannot say ‘an option feature’; you should say ‘an optional feature’.
What are common collocations with option?
Common collocations include: consider your options, explore options, have the option, limited options, available options, keep options open, no option but to, exercise an option, and the best option. These combinations appear frequently in both spoken and written English.
What is the origin of the word option?
Option comes from the Latin word ‘optio’, meaning ‘choice’ or ‘free will’, derived from the verb ‘optare’ (to choose, to wish). It entered English in the 17th century via French ‘option’. The same Latin root gives us ‘opt’, ‘optimal’, ‘optimum’, and ‘adopt’.
Can option be used as a verb?
In standard British English, ‘option’ is a noun, not a verb. The verb form is ‘opt’: ‘She opted for the vegetarian meal.’ You should not say ‘She optioned the vegetarian meal’ in everyday speech. However, ‘option’ is sometimes used as a verb in legal or film-industry contexts (e.g., ‘The studio optioned the novel’), where it means to secure the right to purchase or produce something.
How can I practise using option in English?
Try LexFizz’s Complete the Sentence exercise to practise option in context, or use the Flash Cards tool to test yourself on option and related words such as choice, alternative, and optional. Writing short paragraphs describing decisions you have made — and listing the options you considered — is also an effective way to build fluency with this word.