decisive

adjective

de·ci·sive | \ di-ˈsī-siv

How to pronounce decisive (audio)

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Definition of decisive

1 : having the power or quality of deciding The council president cast the decisive vote. a decisive battle

2 : resolute, determined a decisive manner decisive leaders a decisive editor

3 : unmistakable, unquestionable a decisive superiority

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Choose the Right Synonym for decisive

conclusive, decisive, determinative, definitive mean bringing to an end. conclusive applies to reasoning or logical proof that puts an end to debate or questioning. conclusive evidence decisive may apply to something that ends a controversy, a contest, or any uncertainty. a decisive battle determinative adds an implication of giving a fixed character or direction. the determinative factor in the court's decision definitive applies to what is put forth as final and permanent. the definitive biography

Examples of decisive in a Sentence

You must be decisive and persistent to succeed in this competitive field. I stood there wondering what to do, but my sister was more decisive and immediately went to the phone. The fight ended with a decisive blow. the decisive battle of the war The poverty of his childhood played a decisive role in his adult life. The meeting is seen as a decisive step toward a peace treaty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Passing ability includes not just short and safe passes, but decisive and dangerous ones. — SI.com, "Tanguy Ndombele or Giovani Lo Celso: Assessing Who Tottenham Should Target This Summer," 15 June 2019 These women are very strong, decisive and compassionate. — John-john Williams Iv, baltimoresun.com, "How women are shaping Baltimore's 2019 Pride Festival," 14 June 2019 The Arizona law that originated with Cobb's two bills was part of a swift, decisive and very public reaction in Arizona to the Biological Resource Center case. — Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, "Despite 2-year-old state law, Arizona's body donation industry still unregulated," 10 June 2019 Be confident about your interpretation of the script, trust your instincts, and be swift and decisive. — Janet Mock, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Pose' Writer-Producer: What I Learned From My First Directing Experience (Guest Column)," 7 June 2019 America benefits from strong, clear, decisive leadership. — chicagotribune.com, "John Bolton is a national security threat," 23 Mar. 2018 The waivers have the potential to be one of the most decisive factors in letting states go separate ways on health care. — Stephanie Armour, WSJ, "Trump Administration Details Health-Law Waivers for States," 29 Nov. 2018 The country’s lack of recent military experience could prove the decisive factor in a future conflict, one that would be utterly unlike any conflict China has ever fought before. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Is the Chinese Military Ready for War?," 27 Nov. 2018 This mixed bag suggests that ideology simply wasn’t the decisive factor. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox, "The strange argument that Democrats actually lost the midterms, debunked," 9 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'decisive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near decisive

decision theory

decisive action

decisive/deciding/determining factor

Statistics for decisive

Last Updated

19 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for decisive

The first known use of decisive was in 1584

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More Definitions for decisive

decisive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of decisive

: able to make choices quickly and confidently

: causing something to end in a particular way : determining what the result of something will be

: very clear and obvious

See the full definition for decisive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

decisive

adjective

de·ci·sive | \ di-ˈsī-siv

\

Kids Definition of decisive

1 : causing something to end in a certain way The lawyer offered decisive proof.

2 : unmistakable, unquestionable a decisive victory

3 : firmly determined He began in a decisive manner.

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to take the place or position of

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