Learn English – Difference between ‘No choice’ and ‘No option’

word-choice

Look at the following two statements:

  1. Why Microsoft Had no choice But To Purchase Nokia's Handset
  2. US now has no option but to attack Syria

I think that both imply compulsion. But is there any fundamental difference between the two?

Best Answer

They mean exactly the same thing, since 'option' and 'choice' are synonyms.

EDIT

Heh - I've been told to expand on this answer, so I'll try, although really the answer it is just as straightforward as described above.

'Choice' and 'option' are nouns that are so closely aligned in meaning that http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ pretty much uses each to define the other. Moreover, in English speech, it is just about as common to say 'no choice but to' as 'no option but to', in both cases meaning 'Person X was compelled to do Y'.

Often there are subtle differences in the meaning of words, but in this case I can't discern any.

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