decisive
adjective
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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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Synonyms & Antonyms for decisive
Synonyms
bent (on or upon), bound, determined, do-or-die, firm, hell-bent (on or upon), intent, out, purposeful, resolute, resolved, set, single-minded
Antonyms
faltering, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, undetermined, unresolved, vacillating, wavering, weak-kneed
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Examples of decisive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kennedy provided a decisive vote in 2015 on an important fair housing case. — Zeke Miller, The Seattle Times, "Trump picks Kavanaugh for court, setting up fight with Dems," 10 July 2018 Kennedy provided a decisive vote in 2015 on an important fair housing case. — The Christian Science Monitor, "Trump nominates GOP favorite Brett Kavanaugh for Supreme Court," 10 July 2018 Chief Justice Roberts was the decisive fifth vote to uphold the ACA in a key case in 2012. — Julie Rovner, Washington Post, "Democrats Rally Against Threats To The ACA To Block Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee," 10 July 2018 Kennedy provided a decisive vote in 2015 on an important fair housing case. — Catherine Lucey, Zeke Miller And Mark Sherman, Houston Chronicle, "Trump picks Kavanaugh for court, setting up fight with Dems," 10 July 2018 Kennedy provided a decisive vote in 2015 on an important fair housing case. — Anchorage Daily News, "Trump picks Kavanaugh for Supreme Court," 10 July 2018 Kennedy provided a decisive vote in 2015 on an important fair housing case. — BostonGlobe.com, "Trump makes decision on his Supreme Court pick, will reveal it at 9 p.m.," 9 July 2018 But others speculate that overturning Roe v. Wade might be less galvanizing to progressives if a woman casts the decisive fifth vote. — Dara Lind, Vox, "Trump’s reported Supreme Court finalists: Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Raymond Kethledge," 5 July 2018 The former president picked up the phone again, this time to thank his old rival for the decisive vote. — Gabriel Debenedetti, Daily Intelligencer, "Where Is Barack Obama?," 24 June 2018These 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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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
\
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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