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.

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

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

Many would argue that Hastings’s philosophy of pushing his employees to play big roles in decision-making empowered them to take chances and created an environment where no one was indispensable.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

What is more baffling than the botched decision-making at the time is that officials have been going through what happened behind closed doors for months.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Mr. Magyar says Hungary should eventually adopt the euro and pledged to help facilitate European Union decision-making, which requires unanimity on key issues, and to seek compromise even when he disagrees with Brussels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Professionals encourage and support environments that produce trust by demonstrating integrity through ethical and inclusive decision-making.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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