decision
Americannoun
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the act or process of deciding; determination, as of a question or doubt, by making a judgment.
They must make a decision between these two contestants.
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the act of or need for making up one's mind.
This is a difficult decision.
-
something that is decided; resolution.
She made a poor decision when she dropped out of school.
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a judgment, as one formally pronounced by a court.
It is the decision of this court that the appeal is granted.
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the quality of being decided; firmness.
He spoke with decision and calm authority.
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the final score in any sport or contest.
The decision was 5 to 4 in favor of the home team.
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Boxing. the awarding of a victory in a match not decided by a knockout or technical knockout, usually through a vote of the referee and judges.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a judgment, conclusion, or resolution reached or given; verdict
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the act of making up one's mind
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firmness of purpose or character; determination
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of decision
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English decisioun, from Middle French, from Latin dēcīsiōn-, stem of dēcīsiō “a cutting off,” equivalent to dēcīs(us) (past participle of dēcīdere “to cut off”; see decide) + -iō -ion
Explanation
To make a decision is to make up your mind about something. To act with decision is to proceed with determination, which might be a natural character trait. Decision originally comes from the Latin decidere ("determine"). You make decisions every day: what to wear, what to eat, how to spend your money, who to vote for, what movie to go to. A court judge makes a decision in a trial (and actually "hands down" or "announces" that decision). If judges make the decision in a boxing match, the winner wins "by decision." More loosely, decision can also refer to the outcome of any game or contest.
Vocabulary lists containing decision
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ion, -tion, -ation
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President Obama's second inaugural address
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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.
See Examples For:
The EU said in its decision that enough studios remain as competitors in film production in the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Musk can be counted among the many conservatives who were angered by Nolan’s decision to cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Elliot Page as Sinon.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
It is unclear who took part in the decision to strike this deal.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
His decision to step away from the west London club appears to pave the way for him to lead a consortium of investors seeking to purchase a reported 30% stake in the Anfield club.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
"We decided to try her, and try we did. Now a new decision must be taken. For we all cannot climb the Mountain. Who is to go?"
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
The major broadcast networks made swift editorial decisions to distance themselves from the spectacle.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
The spokesperson said the increased focus led to “some difficult decisions, including eliminating some roles within parts of our AGI organization,” while the company continues investing in AI initiatives it considers most important for customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Those core positions reduce portfolio volatility, open up space to take more risk in smaller positions and prevent emotional decisions at the worst possible time.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
"All decisions will be formalised tomorrow," Zelensky added in his post.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
He successfully lobbied for Washington to head the Continental Army and personally selected Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, two strategic decisions designed to assure Virginia’s support for the cause.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
