Dictionary

decisive en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/ (UK)
• /dɪˈsɪsɪv/ (nonstandard)

Etymology

From Middle French décisif, equivalent to decide + -ive.

Meanings

1. Having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy; putting an end to contest or controversy; final; conclusive.
   • decisive battle
   • decisive vote
   • In truth, Tottenham never really looked like taking all three points and this defeat means they face a battle to reach the knockout stages -with their next home game against PAOK Salonika on 30 November likely to prove decisive. 2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport:
2. Decided; definite; incontrovertible.
   • decisive victory
   • [F]abulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: […] 1949, Joseph Campbell, “The Hero and the God”, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces:
3. Marked by promptness and decision, resolute; without hesitation.
   • decisive action
   • A noble instance of this attribute of the decisive character. 1804, John Foster, Essays, in a Series of Letters:
   • a decisive person

Forms

Antonyms

indecisive

Deriveds

decisively · nondecisive · decisiveness · undecisive

Relateds

decide · decided · decidable

Synonyms

positive · decided · conclusive

Translations (76)

sh prȅsudan (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · az qəti (marked by promptness and decision) · sv avgörande (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · pl stanowczy (marked by promptness and decision) · ca decisiu (marked by promptness and decision) · it sostanziale (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · es decisivo (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · fr décidé (marked by promptness and decision) · de entschlossen (marked by promptness and decision) · bg решителен (marked by promptness and decision) · it deciso (marked by promptness and decision) · da afgørende (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · ga cinntitheach (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · fa تعیینکننده (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · hy վճռական (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · it decisivo (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · cmn 決定性的 /决定性的 (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · pl zdecydowany (marked by promptness and decision) · hi निर्णायक (marked by promptness and decision) · fr ferme (marked by promptness and decision) · it determinante (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · lv izšķirošs (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sh ȍdlūčan (marked by promptness and decision) · cmn 蓋棺定論的 /盖棺定论的 (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · ga cinniúnach (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · hy վճռական (marked by promptness and decision) · hi निश्चयार्थक (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · gl decisivo (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · nl beslist (marked by promptness and decision) · el αποφασιστικός (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · cs rozhodující (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · uk рішу́чий (marked by promptness and decision) · sv resolut (marked by promptness and decision) · pt decidido (marked by promptness and decision) · de ausschlaggebend (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · az həlledici (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · nl beslissend (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · pl rozsądzający (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sv utslagsgivande (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · hy որոշիչ (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · cs rozhodný (marked by promptness and decision) · hu döntő (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · pl bezapelacyjny (marked by promptness and decision) · ar حاسم (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · nl besluitvaardig (marked by promptness and decision) · fi ratkaiseva (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · uk виріша́льний (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · el αποφασιστικός (marked by promptness and decision) · pt decisivo (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · ru решающий (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sv bestämmande (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sh odlùčujūćī (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · cmn 果斷 /果断 (marked by promptness and decision) · pl decydujący (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · bg решаващ (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sv beslutsam (marked by promptness and decision) · de entschlussfreudig (marked by promptness and decision) · hi निर्णायक (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · nl afdoend (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · sv bestämd (marked by promptness and decision) · hu mérvadó (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · nl doorslaggevend (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · grc κρίσιμος (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · pl przesądzający (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · fr décisif (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · ca decisiu (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · ar حاسمة (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · cs směrodatný (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · fi päättäväinen (marked by promptness and decision) · hi निश्चयार्थक (marked by promptness and decision) · sv fast (marked by promptness and decision) · da beslutsom (marked by promptness and decision) · he החלטי (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · de entscheidend (having the power or quality of deciding a question or controversy) · it decisivo (marked by promptness and decision) · ru реши́тельный (marked by promptness and decision)