diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9d5bc35..5fbbef1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ This package offers TypeScript typings for `commander` which infer strong types
 - all the parameters of the action handler, including the options
 - options returned by `.opts()`
 
+This package requires TypeScript 5.0 or higher (for `const` type parameters to `.choices()`).
+
 The runtime is supplied by commander. This package is all about the typings.
 
 Usage
@@ -62,12 +64,3 @@ const program = new Command()
   .option('-d, --debug'); // program type includes chained options and arguments
 const options = program.opts(); // smart type
 ```
-
-Use a "const assertion" on the choices to narrow the option type from `string`:
-
-```typescript
-const program = new Command()
-  .addOption(new Option('--drink-size <size>').choices(['small', 'medium', 'large'] as const))
-  .parse();
-const drinkSize = program.opts().drinkSize; // "small" | "medium" | "large" | undefined
-```
diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index b529fb5..1e1cc37 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ export class Argument<
   /**
    * Set the default value, and optionally supply the description to be displayed in the help.
    */
-  default<T>(
+  default<const T>(
     value: T,
     description?: string,
   ): Argument<Usage, T, CoerceT, ArgRequired, ChoicesT>;
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ export class Argument<
   /**
    * Only allow argument value to be one of choices.
    */
-  choices<T extends readonly string[]>(
+  choices<const T extends readonly string[]>(
     values: T,
   ): Argument<Usage, DefaultT, undefined, ArgRequired, T[number]>; // setting CoerceT to undefined because choices overrides argParser
 
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ export class Option<
   /**
    * Set the default value, and optionally supply the description to be displayed in the help.
    */
-  default<T>(
+  default<const T>(
     value: T,
     description?: string,
   ): Option<Usage, PresetT, T, CoerceT, Mandatory, ChoicesT>;
@@ -463,7 +463,9 @@ export class Option<
    * new Option('--donate [amount]').preset('20').argParser(parseFloat);
    * ```
    */
-  preset<T>(arg: T): Option<Usage, T, DefaultT, CoerceT, Mandatory, ChoicesT>;
+  preset<const T>(
+    arg: T,
+  ): Option<Usage, T, DefaultT, CoerceT, Mandatory, ChoicesT>;
 
   /**
    * Add option name(s) that conflict with this option.
@@ -519,7 +521,7 @@ export class Option<
   /**
    * Only allow option value to be one of choices.
    */
-  choices<T extends readonly string[]>(
+  choices<const T extends readonly string[]>(
     values: T,
   ): Option<Usage, PresetT, DefaultT, undefined, Mandatory, T[number]>; // setting CoerceT to undefined becuase choices overrides argParser
 
diff --git a/tests/arguments.test-d.ts b/tests/arguments.test-d.ts
index 28bc6a4..f8ece0d 100644
--- a/tests/arguments.test-d.ts
+++ b/tests/arguments.test-d.ts
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ program
 
 // mixed types possible, but unusual
 program.addArgument(new Argument('[foo]').default(3)).action((foo, options) => {
-  expectType<string | number>(foo);
+  expectType<string | 3>(foo);
   expectAssignable<OptionValues>(options);
 });
 
@@ -247,28 +247,28 @@ program.command('sub3 [bar]').action((bar, options) => {
 
 // choices
 program
-  .addArgument(new Argument('<foo>').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addArgument(new Argument('<foo>').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .action((foo, options) => {
     expectType<'A' | 'B'>(foo);
     expectAssignable<OptionValues>(options);
   });
 
 program
-  .addArgument(new Argument('[foo]').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addArgument(new Argument('[foo]').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .action((foo, options) => {
     expectType<'A' | 'B' | undefined>(foo);
     expectAssignable<OptionValues>(options);
   });
 
 program
-  .addArgument(new Argument('<foo...>').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addArgument(new Argument('<foo...>').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .action((foo, options) => {
     expectType<('A' | 'B')[]>(foo);
     expectAssignable<OptionValues>(options);
   });
 
 program
-  .addArgument(new Argument('[foo...]').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addArgument(new Argument('[foo...]').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .action((foo, options) => {
     expectType<('A' | 'B')[]>(foo);
     expectAssignable<OptionValues>(options);
@@ -286,57 +286,44 @@ program
 
 // default type ignored when arg is required
 expectType<'C'>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(
-      new Argument('<foo>').default('D' as const).choices(['C'] as const),
-    )
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('<foo>').default('D').choices(['C'])).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // default before choices results in union when arg optional
 expectType<'C' | 'D'>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(
-      new Argument('[foo]').default('D' as const).choices(['C'] as const),
-    )
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('[foo]').default('D').choices(['C'])).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // default after choices is still union type
 expectType<'C' | 'D'>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(
-      new Argument('[foo]').choices(['C'] as const).default('D' as const),
-    )
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('[foo]').choices(['C']).default('D')).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // argRequired after choices still narrows type
 expectType<'C'>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(new Argument('foo').choices(['C'] as const).argRequired())
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('foo').choices(['C']).argRequired()).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // argRequired before choices still narrows type
 expectType<'C'>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(new Argument('foo').argRequired().choices(['C'] as const))
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('foo').argRequired().choices(['C'])).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // argOptional after choices narrows type and includes undefined
 expectType<'C' | undefined>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(new Argument('foo').choices(['C'] as const).argOptional())
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('foo').choices(['C']).argOptional()).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // argOptional before choices narrows type and includes undefined
 expectType<'C' | undefined>(
-  program
-    .addArgument(new Argument('foo').argOptional().choices(['C'] as const))
-    .parse().processedArgs[0],
+  program.addArgument(new Argument('foo').argOptional().choices(['C'])).parse()
+    .processedArgs[0],
 );
 
 // argParser after choices overrides choice type
@@ -344,7 +331,7 @@ expectType<number>(
   program
     .addArgument(
       new Argument('<foo>')
-        .choices(['C'] as const)
+        .choices(['C'])
         .argParser((val: string, prev: number) => prev + Number.parseInt(val)),
     )
     .parse().processedArgs[0],
@@ -356,7 +343,7 @@ expectType<'C'>(
     .addArgument(
       new Argument('<foo>')
         .argParser((val: string, prev: number) => prev + Number.parseInt(val))
-        .choices(['C'] as const),
+        .choices(['C']),
     )
     .parse().processedArgs[0],
 );
diff --git a/tests/create-argument.test-d.ts b/tests/create-argument.test-d.ts
index af67b53..de4a904 100644
--- a/tests/create-argument.test-d.ts
+++ b/tests/create-argument.test-d.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ import { Command, createArgument } from '..';
 {
   const program = new Command();
   program
-    .addArgument(createArgument('<value>').choices(['A', 'B', 'C'] as const))
+    .addArgument(createArgument('<value>').choices(['A', 'B', 'C']))
     .action((arg) => {
       expectType<'A' | 'B' | 'C'>(arg);
     });
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ import { Command, createArgument } from '..';
 {
   const program = new Command();
   program
-    .addArgument(createArgument('<value...>').choices(['A', 'B', 'C'] as const))
+    .addArgument(createArgument('<value...>').choices(['A', 'B', 'C']))
     .action((arg) => {
       expectType<('A' | 'B' | 'C')[]>(arg);
     });
diff --git a/tests/create-option.test-d.ts b/tests/create-option.test-d.ts
index 5632b7d..4f9a07d 100644
--- a/tests/create-option.test-d.ts
+++ b/tests/create-option.test-d.ts
@@ -62,11 +62,7 @@ import { Command, createOption } from '..';
   const program = new Command();
   const foo = program
     .addOption(
-      createOption('-f, --foo <value>', 'description').choices([
-        'A',
-        'B',
-        'C',
-      ] as const),
+      createOption('-f, --foo <value>', 'description').choices(['A', 'B', 'C']),
     )
     .opts().foo;
   expectType<'A' | 'B' | 'C' | undefined>(foo);
@@ -78,7 +74,7 @@ import { Command, createOption } from '..';
   const foo = program
     .addOption(
       createOption('-f, --foo <value...>', 'description')
-        .choices(['A', 'B', 'C'] as const)
+        .choices(['A', 'B', 'C'])
         .makeOptionMandatory(),
     )
     .opts().foo;
diff --git a/tests/options.test-d.ts b/tests/options.test-d.ts
index e171d4e..8200443 100644
--- a/tests/options.test-d.ts
+++ b/tests/options.test-d.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ const o20 = program
   .addOption(new Option('-c, --colour').default(0).preset(BigInt(3)))
   .addOption(new Option('-C, --no-colour').preset('on'))
   .opts();
-expectType<{ colour: string | number | bigint }>(o20);
+expectType<{ colour: 'on' | 0 | bigint }>(o20);
 
 // multiple
 
@@ -194,35 +194,33 @@ expectType<{ debug?: true }>(us7);
 
 // narrows required value to given choices
 const co1 = program
-  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug <val>').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug <val>').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ debug?: 'A' | 'B' }>(co1);
 
 // narrows optional value to union of given choices and true
 const co2 = program
-  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug [val]').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug [val]').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ debug?: 'A' | 'B' | true }>(co2);
 
 // narrows required option to given choices
 const co3 = program
   .addOption(
-    new Option('-d, --debug <val>')
-      .choices(['A', 'B'] as const)
-      .makeOptionMandatory(),
+    new Option('-d, --debug <val>').choices(['A', 'B']).makeOptionMandatory(),
   )
   .opts();
 expectType<{ debug: 'A' | 'B' }>(co3);
 
 // narrows variadic value to choices array
 const co4 = program
-  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug <val...>').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug <val...>').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ debug?: ('A' | 'B')[] }>(co4);
 
 // narrows optional variadic value to choices | true array
 const co5 = program
-  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug [val...]').choices(['A', 'B'] as const))
+  .addOption(new Option('-d, --debug [val...]').choices(['A', 'B']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ debug?: ('A' | 'B')[] | true }>(co5);
 
@@ -230,7 +228,7 @@ expectType<{ debug?: ('A' | 'B')[] | true }>(co5);
 const co6 = program
   .addOption(
     new Option('-d, --debug [val...]')
-      .choices(['A', 'B'] as const)
+      .choices(['A', 'B'])
       .makeOptionMandatory(),
   )
   .opts();
@@ -240,7 +238,7 @@ expectType<{ debug: ('A' | 'B')[] | true }>(co6);
 const co7 = program
   .addOption(
     new Option('-d, --debug <val...>')
-      .choices(['A', 'B'] as const)
+      .choices(['A', 'B'])
       .makeOptionMandatory(),
   )
   .opts();
@@ -248,24 +246,18 @@ expectType<{ debug: ('A' | 'B')[] }>(co7);
 
 // default before choices creates union type
 const co8 = program
-  .addOption(
-    new Option('--foo <val>').default('D' as const).choices(['C'] as const),
-  )
+  .addOption(new Option('--foo <val>').default('D').choices(['C']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ foo: 'C' | 'D' }>(co8);
 
 // default after choices creates union type
 const co9 = program
-  .addOption(
-    new Option('--foo <val>').choices(['C'] as const).default('D' as const),
-  )
+  .addOption(new Option('--foo <val>').choices(['C']).default('D'))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ foo: 'C' | 'D' }>(co9);
 
 // make mandatory before choices makes option mandatory
 const c10 = program
-  .addOption(
-    new Option('--foo <val>').makeOptionMandatory().choices(['C'] as const),
-  )
+  .addOption(new Option('--foo <val>').makeOptionMandatory().choices(['C']))
   .opts();
 expectType<{ foo: 'C' }>(c10);