deciding factor
noun
1
: something that causes someone to make a particular decision
The deciding factor was cost.
His lack of experience was the deciding factor in my decision not to hire him.
2
: something that causes something to end a particular way
His home run was the deciding factor in the game.
Examples of deciding factor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Souter's very obscurity became the deciding factor in his favor, in addition to his state judicial experience and impeccable academic credentials—Harvard undergraduate (Phi Beta Kappa) and law degrees, along with one from Oxford, earned as a Rhodes Scholar.
—
Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
Perhaps the power advantage could be the deciding factor on Saturday night.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Related Articles But the shade may not be the deciding factor.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
Johnson’s input on arm length could be the deciding factor.
—Adam Jahns, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deciding factor
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Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
Perhaps the power advantage could be the deciding factor on Saturday night.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Related Articles But the shade may not be the deciding factor.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025
Johnson’s input on arm length could be the deciding factor.
—Adam Jahns, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deciding factor
Cite this Entry
“Deciding factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deciding%20factor. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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