decisive
adjective
de·ci·sive
di-ˈsī-siv 
1
: having the power or quality of deciding
The council president cast the decisive vote.
a decisive battle
2
: resolute, determined
a decisive manner
decisive leaders
a decisive editor
3
: unmistakable, unquestionable
a decisive superiority
decisively
adverb
decisiveness
noun
Examples of decisive in a Sentence
You must be decisive and persistent to succeed in this competitive field.
I stood there wondering what to do, but my sister was more decisive and immediately went to the phone.
The fight ended with a decisive blow.
the decisive battle of the war
The poverty of his childhood played a decisive role in his adult life.
The meeting is seen as a decisive step toward a peace treaty.
Recent Examples on the Web
Indiana is moving on to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since 2015 despite Clark's injury after a thrilling 87-85 victory in a decisive Game 3 against the Atlanta Dream.
—
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In a moment of fading political consensus, but accelerating real-world change, decisive leadership matters more than ever.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Last week, a motivated Central Catholic team made the trip to Morrissey Boulevard for an anticipated tilt with BC High, and emerged with a decisive 28-7 victory over a perennial Catholic Conference titan.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Unofficial results Tuesday night showed Lee had a decisive lead, with 61% of the vote to Republican Ruth Bittner’s 39% with all District 34B precincts reporting results.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decisive
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Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In a moment of fading political consensus, but accelerating real-world change, decisive leadership matters more than ever.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Last week, a motivated Central Catholic team made the trip to Morrissey Boulevard for an anticipated tilt with BC High, and emerged with a decisive 28-7 victory over a perennial Catholic Conference titan.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Unofficial results Tuesday night showed Lee had a decisive lead, with 61% of the vote to Republican Ruth Bittner’s 39% with all District 34B precincts reporting results.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decisive
Cite this Entry
“Decisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decisive. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decisive
adjective
de·ci·sive
di-ˈsī-siv
1
: having the power to decide
the decisive vote
2
: unmistakable, unquestionable
a decisive victory
3
: marked by or showing decision
a decisive manner
decisively
adverb
decisiveness
noun
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