chooser
One who picks
A chooser is someone who selects from available options.
The word appears most often in the expression beggars can't be choosers, meaning those in need shouldn't be picky about what's offered.
Outside this phrase, chooser is uncommon—picker or selector tend to sound more natural in most contexts.
Mechanism for choosing
- pickerOne who gathers
- decision-makerOne with choosing power
- electorEnfranchised citizen
- voterBallot-casting citizen
nominator · appointer · designator · determiner · selectee · elective · selective
Thing that differentiates
- connoisseurExpert in matters of taste
- tastemakerOne who shapes trends
- curatorCollection overseer
- criticOne who judges merit
evaluator · assessor · appraiser · ranker · prioritizer · sorter · filterer
One who resolves disputes
- judgeOne who decides
- arbiterOne who settles disputes
- adjudicatorOne rendering formal decisions
- refereeSports rule enforcer
umpire · mediator · resolver · settler · finalizer · tiebreaker
Autonomous decision-making capacity
- volitionCapacity for choice
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
intention · discretion · prerogative · liberty · independence · empowerment · sovereignty
selector
Mechanism for choosing
- pickerOne who gathers
- decision-makerOne with choosing power
- electorEnfranchised citizen
voter · nominator · appointer · designator · determiner · selectee · elective · selective
discriminator
Thing that differentiates
- connoisseurExpert in matters of taste
- tastemakerOne who shapes trends
- curatorCollection overseer
critic · evaluator · assessor · appraiser · ranker · prioritizer · sorter · filterer
arbitrator
One who resolves disputes
- judgeOne who decides
- arbiterOne who settles disputes
- adjudicatorOne rendering formal decisions
referee · umpire · mediator · resolver · settler · finalizer · tiebreaker
free-will
Autonomous decision-making capacity
- volitionCapacity for choice
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
deliberation · intention · discretion · prerogative · liberty · independence · empowerment · sovereignty
- pick and chooseSelect with discrimination
- choose sidesCommit to one faction
- choose your own adventureReader-controlled branching narrative
- choose one's battlesDecide which conflicts merit effort
- picking and choosingSelective acceptance of options
- right to choosePower to decide freely