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
Fitzgerald proposed a schedule that includes filing dispositive motions by October 20 and briefs by November 20.
—
Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
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 results will be the same in terms of the estate tax and dispositive scheme implications as in the above example, but now, whatever is inherited will face a capital gains tax on sale.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispositive
Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
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 results will be the same in terms of the estate tax and dispositive scheme implications as in the above example, but now, whatever is inherited will face a capital gains tax on sale.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispositive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispositive
Adjective
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Between 1995 and 2010, CCM and its presidential candidates could win determinative vote shares while minimizing costly repression and fraud.—
Yonatan Morse,
The Conversation,
19 Dec. 2025
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But, ultimately, the president would not play a determinative role in interest rate decisions.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
14 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Space supported or caged determinate tomato plants 1½ to 2 feet apart, increasing the spacing to 2 to 2½ feet for unsupported plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
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Look for determinate tomato varieties, which are less sprawling and more suitable for containers than indeterminate varieties.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Take a long walk without earbuds and clear a corner for reflection today, because insight blooms when your mind feels unhurried and private.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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Vantor’s images, taken on March 11, provide a clear view of the damage.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As of Saturday night, after Maxey took that nasty spill in the waning moments of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, there wasn’t anything conclusive on his status.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meta and other tech firms have long argued publicly that there is no conclusive evidence linking social media to addiction or other mental health challenges.—
CNN,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispositive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispositive. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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