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.
After the disaster of the 2003 live-action “The Cat in the Hat” starring Mike Myers, Geisel’s widow Audrey decided she would no longer allow any more live-action adaptations of her husband’s work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Miss Congeniality is decided by a secret cast vote and the queens were visibly shocked when RuPaul said Paris had won by a landslide.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
They decided artificial intelligence is a bubble before anything had fallen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The band decided this was not a night for subtext.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026
I would’ve graduated in another year, but by now I’d learned everything that would help me run the store with Ba, which was what I’d decided to do.
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.
