decide against

idiom

1
: to decide not to do something
I decided against telling her.
2
: to find (someone) guilty in a court of law
The jury decided against the defendant.

Examples of decide against in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The most realistic option, should the Biggs decide against rebuilding, would be to sell the park to another owner — or directly to the residents, a course of action the residents have been actively pursuing. Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 This year, the majority of players have been wearing poppies on their shirts from October 23 through to November 11, though individuals are free to decide against doing so. Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2025 The group said school administrators and educators often opt not to fight and instead remove books from shelves or decide against potentially objectionable materials. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2025 But worries about the future, ranging from immediate concerns about affordable housing to long-term anxieties about climate change, are causing many to decide against having kids, at least for the moment. G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decide against

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decide against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decide%20against. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!