resolution

American  

[rez-uh-loo-shuhn] / ˌrɛz əˈlu ʃən /

noun

• resolutions
  plural

1. 

   a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group.

2. the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.

3. a resolve; a decision or determination.

   to make a firm resolution to do something.

   Her resolution to clear her parents' name allowed her no other focus in life.

4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.

   She showed her resolution by not attending the meeting.

   Synonyms:

   fortitude, strength, tenacity, perseverance, determination, resolve

5. the act or process of resolving or separating something into constituent or elementary parts.

6. the resulting state.

7. Optics. the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources of light or between two nearly equal wavelengths.

8. a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.

9. Music.

   1. the progression of a voice part or of the harmony as a whole from a dissonance to a consonance.

   2. the tone or chord to which a dissonance is resolved.

10. reduction to a simpler form; conversion.

11. Medicine/Medical. the reduction or disappearance of a swelling or inflammation without suppuration.

12. the degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or the number of pixels across and down on a display screen.

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resolution British  

/ ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of resolving

2. the condition or quality of being resolute; firmness or determination

3. something resolved or determined; decision

4. a formal expression of opinion by a meeting, esp one agreed by a vote

5. a judicial decision on some matter; verdict; judgment

6. the act or process of separating something into its constituent parts or elements

7. med

   1. return from a pathological to a normal condition

   2. subsidence of the symptoms of a disease, esp the disappearance of inflammation without the formation of pus

8. music the process in harmony whereby a dissonant note or chord is followed by a consonant one

9. the ability of a television or film image to reproduce fine detail

10. physics another word for resolving power

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonresolution
  noun
• preresolution
  noun
• resolutioner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• resolutions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of resolution

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin resolūtiōn-, stem of resolūtiō “looseness, a release” equivalent to resolute + -ion

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Explanation

The noun resolution has a few related meanings having to do with being firmly determined about something. If you lack determination, you'll never fulfill your New Year's resolutions. Resolution is the noun form of the verb resolve, derived from the Latin resolvere, "to loosen, undo, settle." We can still see this meaning of resolution in the sense of "an explanation" or "a solution" — when a problem, conflict, or mystery reaches its resolution, it has been "undone," so to speak. If you approach a task with resolution, you do it with determination. And if you make a resolution, you make a firm decision to do something or meet some goal.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

resolution resolutions

The resolution states that the faculty senate, which represents academic staff, "has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University".

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

No resolution has been reached yet in negotiations between executive parties and the secretary of state, First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

A resolution before the end of the year would lower energy prices and bring U.K. inflation back down more quickly than previously expected.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

“I hope this resolution brings them some measure of peace.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Her soft voice vibrated with the pleasure of resolution and sacrifice.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Nearly every year since 1992 similar resolutions have been put to a vote and passed, but support for the measure this year was markedly lower.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

But Noel Tata, chairman of majority shareholder Tata Trusts, has opposed both resolutions.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

But that term is an all-encompassing one, representing bills, joint resolutions of Congress and even celebratory resolutions, such as H. Res.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

In 2025 its support for environmental and social shareholder resolutions fell to 2%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Then we all retired to our rooms to rest for the long evening ahead, to say our prayers and to consider our resolutions.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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Related Words

• conclusion
• decision
• finding
• motion
• outcome
• proposal
• proposition
• recommendation
• settlement
• solution
• verdict

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