decided
Americanadjective
-
in no way uncertain or ambiguous; unmistakable; unquestionable.
a decided victory.
- Synonyms:
- indubitable, sure, definite, pronounced, certain, positive, indisputable, undeniable
-
free from hesitation or wavering; resolute; determined.
a decided approach to a problem.
- Synonyms:
- unhesitating, resolved
- Antonyms:
- uncertain
adjective
-
unmistakable
a decided improvement
-
determined; resolute
a girl of decided character
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decided
Explanation
The adjective decided means recognizable, marked, or distinct. If you have a decided preference for classical music, you'll probably get Bach for your birthday and not the Beatles. Decided comes from the verb decide. If something has been decided, the question has been answered. So when we use decided as an adjective, we mean that there is no question about it. If you have decided political views, you won't be swayed by any debate. Decided can also mean distinct, as in a decided splash of yellow paint on your red car.
Vocabulary lists containing decided
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.
To work around these limitations, the scientists decided to begin at an earlier stage of immune cell development.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
It was only when the boy proved he had no aptitude for sales that she decided he might try becoming a writer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
These were regular people who saw what was going on in the world and decided that they needed to do something about it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
But during a reading, not knowing if the Marvel team wanted a Welsh accent, Morais decided just to "go for it".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
I’d been readying my counterargument for when Ba got over being furious and decided it was time for me to return to my classes.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.