decision-maker

noun

de·​ci·​sion-mak·​er di-ˈsi-zhən-ˌmā-kər 

variants or less commonly decision maker

plural decision-makers also decision makers

: someone who is known or primarily responsible for making decisions

a good decision-maker

one of the company's key/top decision makers

However, this does not permit corrections personnel or a warden to automatically assume the role of the patient's medical decision-maker.

—Erik Larsen and Katherine Drabiak

Examples of decision-maker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Partner ecosystems get treated as a revenue engine and measured like one; Forrester found that 67% of B2B partner ecosystem and channel decision-makers expected their indirect revenue to grow faster in 2025 than the year before. — Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Tourism decision-makers need to think beyond hotel occupancy and visitor counts. — Rachel J.c. Fu, Sun Sentinel, 28 Sep. 2026

The human pilot would then become the decision-maker while the autonomous aircraft provide additional sensors, weapons, and physical aircraft. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

As nightmare thought experiments shape the fight over how to govern a multitrillion-dollar industry, some experts say the parables may lead decision-makers astray. — Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for decision-maker

• policymaker
• automaker
• boilermaker
• cabinetmaker
• coffeemaker
• troublemaker
• undertaker
• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker