as in determination
firm or unwavering adherence to one's purpose
moved with speed and decisiveness in investigating the charges of the use of excessive force by the police
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Recent Examples of decisiveness
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, and the head of Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, have been models of clarity, calm, and decisiveness.
—
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond his onstage excellence, Grady runs our props department with remarkable effectiveness and decisiveness.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The challenge is balancing decisiveness with collaboration, and speed with thoughtful input.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026
Your decisiveness invites others to join you.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Quiet leaders know when restraint will serve the moment and when decisiveness is necessary.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
While Minshew could return, Reid could consider Marcus Mariota, who started eight games for the Washington Commanders in 2025 and has the mobility and decisiveness Reid likes in a quarterback.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2026
Losing franchise cornerstones Shea Weber and Carey Price to career-ending injuries made that decision more obvious, but Canadiens owner Geoff Molson deserves credit for his decisiveness.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Skiing demands preparation and decisiveness, reinforcing the importance of trust, momentum, and resilience.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond his onstage excellence, Grady runs our props department with remarkable effectiveness and decisiveness.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The challenge is balancing decisiveness with collaboration, and speed with thoughtful input.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026
Your decisiveness invites others to join you.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Quiet leaders know when restraint will serve the moment and when decisiveness is necessary.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
While Minshew could return, Reid could consider Marcus Mariota, who started eight games for the Washington Commanders in 2025 and has the mobility and decisiveness Reid likes in a quarterback.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2026
Losing franchise cornerstones Shea Weber and Carey Price to career-ending injuries made that decision more obvious, but Canadiens owner Geoff Molson deserves credit for his decisiveness.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Skiing demands preparation and decisiveness, reinforcing the importance of trust, momentum, and resilience.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decisiveness
Noun
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That work was on display this week as Thomas Jefferson High School junior Bella Smith helped younger students hunt for Easter eggs – a simple moment that mirrors her own determination.—
Robbie Owens,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Those determinations complete the World Cup’s 48-team draw, as well as the full schedule, as North America for the first time serves as host.—
Michael McGough,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All decisions of the judges regarding this Promotion are final and binding in all respects.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Olsson and Garden set a deadline in the summer for a point at which Olsson wouldn’t take any more calls, providing the time and space to make her decision without noise.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Freshman pitcher Raquel Pineda impressed in the circle, the defense produced several sparkling plays and the Mariners showed their resolve to edge Cypress 2-1 at Pacifica High.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
-
John Castle’s journey, full of one existential calamity after another, would challenge any human’s resolve.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Amundsen’s work is in keeping with the rest of the show, which fills two halls at the liberal arts school with visual and multimedia works that probe the persistence of radioactive materials.—
Chloe Shrager,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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The lessons that endure are about constraint and invention, messiness and coordination, contradiction and persistence—about intervening directly and fearlessly in material reality.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His loving, pragmatic wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), gamely downsizes their middle-class life to fit their new reality — but her resoluteness only exacerbates his despair.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decisiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decisiveness. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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