1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal
only a team with a decisive attitude is going to win a state championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conclusive
having the power to persuade
a lawyer who knows how to construct the kind of decisive argument that sways a jury
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in definitive
serving to put an end to all debate or questioning
the decisive finding of the coroner regarding the cause of death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decisive
However, the ruling socialist regime quickly disqualified her from running, fearing her overwhelming popularity would result in a decisive defeat for Maduro at the polls.
—
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
Around the horn Georgia outlasted Arkansas in the biggest series of the weekend, winning the decisive Game 3, 7-6, on a walk-off home run by catcher Henry Hunter in the bottom of the 12th inning.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Overall, this brief season feels largely transitional, as if its seven episodes were focused on carefully repurposing and maneuvering the plot toward what could be a decisive season 3.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Using this approach, if one looks narrowly at goods rather than services, China’s productive capacity is three times as large as that of the United States—a decisive advantage in military and technological competition—and exceeds that of the next nine countries combined.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decisive
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
Around the horn Georgia outlasted Arkansas in the biggest series of the weekend, winning the decisive Game 3, 7-6, on a walk-off home run by catcher Henry Hunter in the bottom of the 12th inning.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Overall, this brief season feels largely transitional, as if its seven episodes were focused on carefully repurposing and maneuvering the plot toward what could be a decisive season 3.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Using this approach, if one looks narrowly at goods rather than services, China’s productive capacity is three times as large as that of the United States—a decisive advantage in military and technological competition—and exceeds that of the next nine countries combined.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decisive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decisive
Adjective
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Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side In the big-screen adaptation of this true story, Sandra Bullock played Leigh Anne Tuohy, the resolute Southern mother who adopts teen Michael Oher.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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Conscientiously addressing a national crisis of domestic abuse while also lunging for the heartstrings, the film is an uneven balance of grainy social realism and crowd-pleasing uplift, but Cruz’s resolute performance just about holds it together.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health concur that there is conclusive evidence that alcohol causes several types of cancer.—
Pranoti Mandrekar,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
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Anecdotes from such sources are, of course, far from conclusive.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Crypto Confidential: Forbes' definitive guide to crypto and blockchain, delivered to your inbox every Saturday.—
Andrea Tinianow,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Written by Mexican composer José Alfredo Jiménez in 1971, the song gained even greater prominence when Fernández recorded his definitive version two years later.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Nick, now focused on his role as the heir to his grandfather’s empire, and Noah, just beginning to build her own career, are determined to keep their distance, despite their undeniable attraction and the past that connects them.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Is this morally corrupt crowd determined to ignore constitutional obligations rather than ever admit a mistake?—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Either way, there do not appear to be many other compelling paths for either Cargill or Naomi to take after WrestleMania 41 that don’t involve each other.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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The Spirit and Pride’s rivalry is quickly becoming one of the most compelling matchups in the league.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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According to the Journal, Ford last year shipped about 5,500 Broncos, F-150s, Mustangs and Navigators to China.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Anything less would be another painful letdown after Messi and Miami were eliminated by Atlanta United in the opening round of last year’s MLS playoffs.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Evolving Search Referring to Google user intent programming, Srinivas talked about how search is a fundamental service, and what that has meant for the industry.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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The Metropolitan Police of Cartagena said the 40-year-old man had a flight to Amsterdam and was intent on taking more than 220 grams of cocaine to the European country.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For years, getting travelers to see Athens as more than a transient city would take some convincing; the extent of their stay at the best hotels in Athens would merely include a brief bucket-list visit to the Acropolis before scurrying off to the Greek islands.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2025
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Some scammers go all the way to produce convincing looking alternatives to pages for organizations that seem so real, like a courier service.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decisive. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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