decision-making

American

[dih-sizh-uhn-mey-king] / dɪˈsɪʒ ənˌmeɪ kɪŋ /

Or decision making or decisionmaking

noun

the act or process of making choices or decisions with a group of people, especially in business or politics (often used attributively).

decision-making skills.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

decision-maker

noun

Etymology

Origin of decision-making

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But it’s consistent with a growing body of research in the behavioral economics field showing how our mood skews our decision-making.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

With no Sullivan family involvement in the decision-making process at West Ham, eyes will focus on Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

IBM will design industry-specific AI agents for Google’s Gemini Enterprise, helping organizations “automate workflows, improve decision-making and accelerate autonomous operations,” the companies said in a statement.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

AI, however, may make it possible to gather and analyze previously unimaginable amounts of data on individual utility and decision-making.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

What was the decision-making process when it came time to ditch the diapers?

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023