as in determinative
providing or controlling a final outcome
The fact that she committed a crime is not dispositive of her claim that the police used excessive force in arresting her.
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Recent Examples of dispositive
Responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of litigation assignments from case initiation and answer, plus discovery, dispositive motion practice, trial and appeals.
—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
july 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2025
Read More: Why Food Chemicals Are a Problem—And How to Reduce Your Exposure
That’s not to say genes are entirely dispositive; having genes associated with the condition does not mean a child will inevitably develop it.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
The simple fact that American technology companies are some of the largest companies in the world and thus will necessarily see larger levies is not dispositive of some sort of anti-American bias.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispositive
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
july 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2025
Read More: Why Food Chemicals Are a Problem—And How to Reduce Your Exposure
That’s not to say genes are entirely dispositive; having genes associated with the condition does not mean a child will inevitably develop it.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
The simple fact that American technology companies are some of the largest companies in the world and thus will necessarily see larger levies is not dispositive of some sort of anti-American bias.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispositive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispositive
Adjective
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No single factor alone will be determinative of the outcome and because of the different fact patterns that can arise when presented with a debt-equity question, not all of the factors will be relevant to each and every case.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
One is determinative, and the architects of that story already know the morality contained in the story, with the objective to lay out a moral system.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Most determinate tomatoes will have produced the bulk of their fruit within a short window, often before summer ends.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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Smaller tomato plants of the determinate type can add a splash of color while not overtaking the garden space.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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A lot of the information being funneled to him and his peers from news sources wasn't clear.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
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Your best chance to catch a glimpse of the auroras is at very high latitudes, such as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and possibly the far north of Scotland, if the skies are clear.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In this framework, the new recommendations are actively harmful, and not grounded in conclusive research.—
Dr. Sunny Patel,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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The publication also noted that despite there being no conclusive evidence that Assata was directly to blame for the death of Foerster, New Jersey law stated that everyone involved was equally responsible for the murder.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dispositive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispositive. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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