decisiveness

noun

Definition of decisivenessnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decisiveness Not the product who was named the starter, but just the fact that Florida was willing to settle on one arm, an issue of decisiveness previous coach Billy Napier struggled with two years ago. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Black got the start and ran for 33 yards on eight carries, showing the decisiveness and explosiveness the 49ers liked about him during his time helping Indiana win a national championship last season. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 At times, Arsenal have lacked the decisiveness to move players on, even when the timing is uncomfortable. — Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Leaders often face dangerous blind spots, not from incompetence, but from strengths like confidence and decisiveness becoming liabilities. — Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Legal experts say the speed and decisiveness of the Department of Justice’s proposed antitrust settlement with OhioHealth should put other hospitals on notice. — Tara Bannow, STAT, 17 June 2026 The final was 4-0, which undersold its decisiveness. — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decisiveness
  1. determination
  2. decision
  3. resolve
  4. persistence
  5. resoluteness
Noun
  • Her passion, determination and single-minded focus had completed the deal.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The allegations build on an April 2025 US determination that Sudan’s government used chemical weapons in 2024, though officials provided little public evidence at the time.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of determination
Noun
  • Kyle Ross / Imagn Images First there was Bohm doubling back — a debatable decision, certainly, with a strong center fielder and a ball hit toward one of the trickiest parts of Citizens Bank Park.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • This part of Friday’s decision cited the Supreme Court’s previous ruling that limits on coordinated spending violated the First Amendment.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of decision
Noun
  • By the end of the match, a stiffening of resolve meant that Bournemouth’s shot clock had only ticked up to 16.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But when her father pressures her into an unwanted engagement, her resolve is tested.
    — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of resolve
Noun
  • Stewart's persistence eventually paid off, and he was sent to England in late 1943 with the 445th Bombardment Group.
    — Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Strategic execution, early partnerships and persistence are the key components to building the momentum needed to reach that tipping point toward widespread adoption.
    — Dennis Calvert, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • 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
Definition of resoluteness

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Cite this Entry

“Decisiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decisiveness. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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