Decisive Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of DECISIVE

[more decisive; most decisive]

1

:

able to make choices quickly and confidently

• 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.
• a decisive leader
• In emergency situations, one must be able to take decisive action. [=to act quickly and with confidence]

— opposite indecisive

2

:

causing something to end in a particular way

:

determining what the result of something will be

• She cast the decisive [=_deciding_] vote.
• 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.

◊ A decisive factor is a reason to make a particular choice or decision.

• The decisive factor [=_deciding factor_] was cost.
• His lack of experience was the decisive factor in my decision not to hire him.

3

:

very clear and obvious

• a decisive victory/win/advantage

• You must be able to act decisively to succeed in this competitive field.

• She decisively rejected their proposal.

— decisiveness

noun

[noncount]

• The job requires decisiveness [=_decision_] and persistence.