decision
Americannoun
-
decisions
plural
-
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.
-
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.
-
a judgment, as one formally pronounced by a court.
It is the decision of this court that the appeal is granted.
-
the quality of being decided; firmness.
He spoke with decision and calm authority.
-
the final score in any sport or contest.
The decision was 5 to 4 in favor of the home team.
-
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
-
a judgment, conclusion, or resolution reached or given; verdict
-
the act of making up one's mind
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ion, -tion, -ation
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
President Obama's second inaugural address
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday asked the Court of Appeals to reverse that decision.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Newsom had denied a previous decision granting parole to Van Houten but was overruled by an appellate court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Most assessed that another quarter-point hike would likely be appropriate before the end of the year, but stressed the decision was not final.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
Had that rationale prevailed in 1954, we would still be living with the court’s 1896 “separate but equal” decision in Plessy v.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
And with Jakob’s terrible transformation, I’ve made another decision.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Most officials at the September meeting expected one more rate hike by the end of the year, but emphasized that future decisions depend on data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"These are not easy decisions but we believe they will be the correct ones," Fraser said.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
I can’t guess because it’s not based on known data such as decisions the band had made about what they were and were not interested in playing this tour.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
The decisions these couples made in their 20s had a lasting impression on their financial circumstances three decades later.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
“Coal, when you said that nobody’s allowed you to make your own decisions, I was listening,” she said softly.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
