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split decision

American

noun

Boxing.

a decision of a bout on whose outcome the referee and judges did not unanimously agree.

split decision British

noun

boxing the award of a fight on a majority verdict of the judges as opposed to a unanimous decision

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of split decision

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

The Bank of Mexico lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 6.75% in a 3-2 split decision.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Fury claimed a controversial victory by split decision in October 2023 before Joshua cruised to a second-round knockout win over Ngannou in March 2024.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

Fury beat Paul by split decision in 2023 in a lucrative bout and while his ambitions are to establish himself as a top contender at cruiserweight, he is not ruling out more crossover fights.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

The split decision is at least a partial victory for Combs, whose attorneys had argued that prosecutors overcharged him and did not prove their case.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

Ultimately, the verdict, released June 16, was a split decision, one that afforded both sides some degree of consolation.

From Slate • Jun. 25, 2025

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