DECIDING Synonyms: 236 Similar and Opposite Words

deciding 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈsī-diŋ

Definition of deciding

as in decisive

serving to put an end to all debate or questioning the project's prohibitive cost was the deciding factor in its cancellation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deciding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of decide

as in choosing

to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in determining

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages

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as in arranging

to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of we waited for our captors to decide our fate

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as in settling

to make final, definite, or beyond dispute the huge sum that they were offering decided the matter: we would sell the house

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as in deriving

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information the commanding officer decided that the soldier was indeed telling the truth

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deciding

Adjective

Instead, the person must show race was the crucial and deciding factor. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025 The bullpen gave up the lead on the first pitch, and then three more in the deciding 10th inning. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2025 Travis weeks earlier cited as the deciding and unprecedented factor. — Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024 As a result of the split, Sheboygan city residents play no deciding role in either of the two districts, which both lean heavily Republican. — Journal Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2024 Several people said the job fell to Tillis to convince enough Republican colleagues to vote in favor of the bill so no one person had to be the final deciding vote. — Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2022 The jurors in the Rittenhouse trial were overwhelmingly White not only in the original pool of 179 prospects but also in the final deciding panel of 12, where there was only one person of color. — Omar Jimenez, CNN, 23 Nov. 2021 Houck would be an obvious candidate to start again if the Sox are able to push this series to a fifth and deciding game. — BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2021

Verb

Even highly mature enterprise SOCs frequently remain dependent on humans assembling information from multiple systems, determining whether something is malicious and deciding what should happen next. — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Car shoppers weigh several factors before deciding on a vehicle. — Mckynzie Steward, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Prosecutors weigh a variety of factors in deciding whether to bring criminal charges, from the strength of the evidence to how a jury is likely to perceive a defendant. — Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 With the 2026 midterm elections less than three months away, courts are still deciding exactly how some Americans will be able to vote. — Caitlin Babcock, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026 Ideally, your healthcare provider would take these factors into account and use the most up-to-date evidence for deciding which antibiotic to prescribe and for how long. — Amy J. Mathers, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 And deciding to leave it felt different from her family’s rushed departure from Haiti. — Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 The shouting match ultimately ended with Anthony deciding not to testify, a decision his attorneys said hampered his ability to effectively claim self-defense in the killing. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026 His main competition came from freshman Cash Herrera, who was initially committed to Iowa and then Indiana before deciding on Boise State. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deciding

Adjective

Alphabet’s stock is down more than 15% from its May peak, wiping out roughly $700 billion in value, as concerns rise over its mounting AI bills and failure to produce a decisive technological breakthrough.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
There were shorter absences for core, ankle and adductor issues over the year, but a hamstring problem, which wiped out December and January, was the decisive blow.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of decisive

Verb

By choosing a highly machinable material and bonding it, Flit achieves a frame that as light and structurally sound as titanium, but at a fraction of the production complexity – and cost.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
The clearest sign of the change came in 2024, when a study recorded Americans choosing cannabis over alcohol for daily consumption, marking the first time in history that cannabis has overtaken alcohol as the preferred daily substance.

— Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of choosing

Verb

Kosup said a key challenge of determining the right ways to retrofit the bridge is the need to maintain the width of two navigational channels on the bridge’s eastern side near San Diego.

— David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
The project, named Octo-Blu, started in 2024 with a first phase of lab experimentation that included determining how to rear the baby octopuses.

— Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of determining

Verb

Paltrow is also friendly with OpenAI’s vice president of global creative partnerships, Charles Porch, who the Times reports was central to arranging the dinner in his boss’ honor.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Are practical barriers, such as transportation or arranging for care outside the facility, influencing the decision not to consider screening more than her own values or medical condition?

— Kim Johnson, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of arranging

Verb

One of the more surreal responses to that experience is applause, which ripples through the audience of Paranormal Activity a beat after all the major scares, like rain settling in after a peal of thunder.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Guests can bring their own blankets, food and drinks (including alcoholic ones) before settling in for a movie under the stars.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of settling

Verb

Nurse also has a history of violence in Miami-Dade, Florida, prosecutors said, where he was sentenced to five years of probation for deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution in November 2019.

— John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
Understand that your parents must be deriving some satisfaction from encouraging your brother’s dependency.

— Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of deriving

Adjective

Metagenomic testing on blood samples, which is also becoming more common, is not always conclusive; localized infections don’t always reach the bloodstream.

— Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
Officials concluded that the video did not offer conclusive proof that a person fell off the ship.

— Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of conclusive

Verb

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
Upton, who served for 36 years in a Michigan swing district before opting not to seek re-election in 2022, said Republican candidates in swing seats won't benefit from attending the convention.

— Zac Anderson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026