decisive
Americanadjective
-
having the power or quality of deciding; putting an end to controversy; crucial or most important.
Your argument was the decisive one.
- Synonyms:
- final, conclusive
-
characterized by or displaying no or little hesitation; resolute; determined.
The general was known for his decisive manner.
- Synonyms:
- firm
-
a decisive defeat.
-
unsurpassable; commanding.
a decisive lead in the voting.
adjective
-
influential; conclusive
a decisive argument
-
characterized by the ability to make decisions, esp quickly; resolute
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decisive
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin dēcīsīvus, equivalent to Latin dēcīs(us) ( see decision) + -īvus adjective suffix ( see -ive)
Explanation
If you make decisions quickly, you are someone who is decisive. A decisive event can settle something, like a war. People who are wishy-washy are the opposite of decisive: being decisive means you don't waffle or take forever to make up your mind, and then you stick by what you decided. People admire politicians, coaches, and friends who are decisive. In sports, if a home run won the game, that was the decisive run. When you reach a crisis point in life — when things are going to change one way or the other — you've reached a decisive moment.
Vocabulary lists containing decisive
"Of Mice and Men"
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Metamorphosis
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"Night," Vocabulary from the memoir
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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.
This is where archaeology and cultural anthropology become decisive again, because genes are not enough to reconstruct the social scene based on encounters between Neanderthals and Sapiens.
From Science Daily • Jul. 7, 2026
A government spokesperson said ministers were "already taking decisive action" and would "continue to look for ways to make the system fairer for students, graduates and taxpayers in a financially sustainable way".
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Top England scorer Harry Kane stepped up with two decisive goals that helped his team advance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 4, 2026
Other than that, this wasn’t the decisive victory that some depict it as.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026
It was his determination to present this argument as decisive that led to his condemnation by the Inquisition.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
