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Glite Dictionary
to choose violence

to choose violence

1 8.8
Decide to respond with force or shouting instead of being peaceful
  • phrasal verb
  • /tʃuz ˈvaɪələns/
  • Informal
translation icon : elegir la violencia
  • If it was an either-or situation, many of them would have chosen violence over sex.

Believe me now, I would rather walk away than choose violence.

Examples

  • When faced with insults, he decided to choose violence rather than walk away from a confrontation.

  • In difficult negotiations, some leaders may choose violence instead of compromise to assert their power.

  • The protest escalated when a few individuals chose to choose violence instead of expressing their grievances peacefully.

Synonyms

to take the offensive
vsto choose violence
5 6.4

Begin attacking or acting aggressively to gain an advantage

emphasizes choosing an aggressive response rather than initiating an attack
to choose violence over silence
vsto choose violence
  • Informal
8.4

To speak or act forcefully to confront a problem instead of staying quiet

is a broader decision to respond aggressively rather than peacefully

Antonyms

to make peace
89 3.4

To stop arguing and become friendly again

How Aggressive

attack
∞ 1.4
to retaliate
105 7.3
to choose violence
  • Informal
1 8.8
to negotiate
  • Formal
801 3.7

Surface Forms

choose violence infinitive
choosing violence present participle
chooses violence third person singular
chose violence past
chosen violence past participle

Morphology

choose + violence

The meaning 'to decide to respond with aggressive or confrontational actions' is directly derivable from combining 'choose' (to make a selection) with 'violence' (physical force). This is a straightforward compositional phrasing that follows normal semantic logic and cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words will very likely understand it.

Etymology

Choose violence creates a clear picture: imagine picking the option labeled violence instead of a calm choice, so you act on purpose in an angry or aggressive way. That's why the phrase means 'decide to respond aggressively'.