Synonyms

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

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.

"Mojtaba Khamenei appears to maintain broad oversight of decision-making, but nowhere near the same level of day-to-day management as his father, probably due to a combination of security concerns and physical incapacitation," said Sabet.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Bompastor and her players expressed their desire to play at Stamford Bridge, while club officials consulted with fans during the decision-making process.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

But the distribution of assets and liabilities and of decision-making responsibilities would be optimized.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Institutions, shared values, and collective decision-making play a central role in shaping outcomes.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

Unlike many couples of that era, where the man held all the power, we were equal in our decision-making.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

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