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.

Some even offer "power of attorney forms" – typically used to hand over legal decision-making to someone else – to convince targets the tickets are authentic.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

That legitimacy is something to be carefully considered and incorporated into the court’s decision-making.

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026

The study concluded that politically diverse management teams were ideologically and cognitively more flexible, which contributed to better investment decision-making.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

As the technology gets more sophisticated, it has the potential to evolve into a decision-making support tool, all while doctors are currently seeing their patients.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

The big-man has no independent decision-making authority, knows no diplomatic secrets, and can do no more than attempt to sway communal decisions.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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