Deciding — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /di-ˈsī-diŋ/ de·cid·ing

Meaning & Definition of Deciding

Deciding (adjective)

  1. that decides, decisive

Deciding (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. serving to put an end to all debate or questioning

    "the project's prohibitive cost was the deciding factor in its cancellation"

    similar: absolute, clear, conclusive, decisive, definitive, last
    related: determinate, determinative, dispositive, hands-down, inarguable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, unanswerable, undebatable, undeniable, undisputable, unquestionable, unchallenged, uncontested, undisputed, unambiguous, unequivocal, certain, definite, positive, sure, cogent, compelling, convincing, persuasive, telling
    opposite: inconclusive, indecisive, unclear
    near: debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, moot, problematic, questionable, refutable, ambiguous, equivocal, controversial, debated, disputed

Deciding (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration

    "they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over"

    similar: choosing, concluding, determining, figuring, naming, opting, resolving, settling (on or upon)
    related: decreeing, ruling, culling, electing, handpicking, picking, preferring, selecting, singling (out), adjudging, adjudicating, arbitrating, finding, judging, refereeing, ruling (on), umpiring, chewing over, cogitating, considering, contemplating, debating, deliberating, entertaining, meditating, mulling (over), pondering, questioning, ruminating, studying, thinking (about or over), weighing
    near: abstaining, declining, refusing, rejecting, turning down, delaying, halting, hesitating, stalling, temporizing, shilly-shallying, vacillating, waffling, wavering

  2. to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)

    "the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages"

    similar: adjudging, adjudicating, arbitrating, determining, judging, refereeing, ruling (on), settling, umpiring
    related: considering, deeming, deliberating, hearing, pondering, weighing, sizing up, mediating, moderating, negotiating, prosecuting, trying, finding (for or against), concluding, resolving, redetermining, rejudging
    near: equivocating, hedging, pussyfooting, skirting

  3. to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of

    "we waited for our captors to decide our fate"

    similar: agreeing (on), arranging, fixing, setting, settling, disposing of
    related: contracting, pledging, promising, blueprinting, calculating, charting, concerting, designing, drafting, framing, hammering out, intriguing, laying out, maneuvering, mapping (out), planning, programming, schematizing, scheming, shaping, squaring away, working out, choosing, concluding, determining, figuring, opting, resolving, affirming, approving, authorizing, clearing, confirming, OK'ing, sanctioning, warranting, closing, completing, ending, finalizing, finishing, rounding (off or out), winding up, wrapping up, bargaining, chaffering, dealing, dickering, haggling, horse-trading, negotiating
    near: aborting, calling, calling off, dropping, recalling, repealing, rescinding, revoking, differing (over), disagreeing (with), countering, debating, objecting, opposing, protesting, resisting, contesting, disputing

  4. to make final, definite, or beyond dispute

    "the huge sum that they were offering decided the matter: we would sell the house"

    similar: clinching, determining, nailing, settling
    related: demonstrating, establishing, nailing (down), proving, showing, affirming, assuring, ensuring, insuring, securing, defining, specifying, stating, stipulating, clarifying, clearing (up), illuminating, concluding, ending, finishing
    near: confusing, muddling, muddying, unsettling

  5. to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

    "the commanding officer decided that the soldier was indeed telling the truth"

    similar: concluding, deducing, deriving, extrapolating, gathering, inferring, judging, making out, reasoning, understanding, drawing a conclusion
    related: assuming, supposing, conjecturing, guessing, speculating, surmising, construing, interpreting, reading, contemplating, philosophizing, rationalizing, thinking, ascertaining, doping (out), finding out

Related Entry: Decide (verb)

Decide is a different word from Deciding. The synonyms below are for decide, not for deciding.

  1. to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration

    "they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over"

    similar: choose, conclude, determine, figure, name, opt, resolve, settle (on or upon)
    related: decree, rule, cull, elect, handpick, pick, prefer, select, single (out), adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, find, judge, referee, rule (on), umpire, chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, entertain, meditate, mull (over), ponder, question, ruminate, study, think (about or over), weigh
    near: abstain, decline, refuse, reject, turn down, delay, halt, hesitate, stall, temporize, shilly-shally, vacillate, waffle, waver

  2. to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)

    "the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages"

    similar: adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, determine, judge, referee, rule (on), settle, umpire
    related: consider, deem, deliberate, hear, ponder, weigh, size up, mediate, moderate, negotiate, prosecute, try, find (for or against), conclude, resolve, redetermine, rejudge
    near: equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, skirt

  3. to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of

    "we waited for our captors to decide our fate"

    similar: agree (on), arrange, fix, set, settle, dispose of
    related: contract, pledge, promise, blueprint, calculate, chart, concert, design, draft, frame, hammer out, intrigue, lay out, maneuver, map (out), plan, program, schematize, scheme, shape, square away, work out, choose, conclude, determine, figure, opt, resolve, affirm, approve, authorize, clear, confirm, OK, sanction, warrant, close, complete, end, finalize, finish, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up, bargain, chaffer, deal, dicker, haggle, horse-trade, negotiate
    near: abort, call, call off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, differ (over), disagree (with), counter, debate, object, oppose, protest, resist, contest, dispute

  4. to make final, definite, or beyond dispute

    "the huge sum that they were offering decided the matter: we would sell the house"

    similar: clinch, determine, nail, settle
    related: demonstrate, establish, nail (down), prove, show, affirm, assure, ensure, insure, secure, define, specify, state, stipulate, clarify, clear (up), illuminate, conclude, end, finish
    near: confuse, muddle, muddy, unsettle

  5. to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

    "the commanding officer decided that the soldier was indeed telling the truth"

    similar: conclude, deduce, derive, extrapolate, gather, infer, judge, make out, reason, understand, draw a conclusion
    related: assume, suppose, conjecture, guess, speculate, surmise, construe, interpret, read, contemplate, philosophize, rationalize, think, ascertain, dope (out), find out

Related Entry: Deciding (on) (verb)

Deciding (on) is a different word from Deciding. The synonyms below are for deciding (on), not for deciding.

  1. as in taking, singling (out)

    similar: cherry-picking, choosing, culling, electing, handpicking, naming, opting (for), picking, selecting, singling (out), taking, enjoying, liking, preferring, greeting, hailing, adopting, espousing, taking up, drinking (in), eating (up), embracing, lapping (up), welcoming
    opposite: balking (at), declining, passing up, refusing, rejecting, spurning, throwing over, turning down, demurring (to), objecting (to)

Related Entry: Deciding (upon) (verb)

Deciding (upon) is a different word from Deciding. The synonyms below are for deciding (upon), not for deciding.

  1. as in doing, dealing (with)

    similar: acting, dealing (with), doing, working (on)
    opposite: deferring, delaying, holding off (on), holding over, holding up, laying over, postponing, putting off, putting over, remitting, shelving, suspending, hesitating, pausing, staying

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Deciding

The most common words with a similar meaning to Deciding:

absolute, clear, conclusive, decisive, definitive, last, choosing, concluding, determining, figuring, naming, opting, resolving, settling (on or upon), adjudging, adjudicating, arbitrating, judging, refereeing, ruling (on), settling, umpiring, agreeing (on), arranging, fixing, setting, clinching, nailing, deducing, deriving, extrapolating, gathering, inferring, making out, reasoning, understanding, disposing of, drawing a conclusion

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Deciding

Words with the opposite meaning of Deciding:

inconclusive, indecisive, unclear

Related Words for Deciding

determinate, determinative, dispositive, hands-down, inarguable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, unanswerable, undebatable, undeniable, undisputable, unquestionable, unchallenged, uncontested, undisputed, unambiguous, unequivocal, certain, definite, positive, sure, cogent, compelling, convincing, persuasive, telling, decreeing

Near Antonyms of Deciding

debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, moot, problematic, questionable, refutable, ambiguous, equivocal, controversial, debated, disputed, abstaining, declining, refusing, rejecting, turning down, delaying, halting, hesitating, stalling, temporizing, shilly-shallying, vacillating, waffling, wavering, equivocating, hedging, pussyfooting

Origin & Etymology of Deciding

from present participle of decide

First known use: 1611

Words & Phrases Containing Deciding

deciding factor, decisive/deciding/determining factor

Frequently Asked Questions about Deciding

What does "Deciding" mean?

"Deciding" means that decides, decisive. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: that decides, decisive. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Deciding"?

Other words for "Deciding" include absolute, clear, conclusive, decisive, definitive, last, choosing and concluding. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Deciding" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Deciding"?

There are 178 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Deciding". Common alternatives include absolute, clear, conclusive, decisive, definitive, last, choosing, concluding, determining and figuring.

What is the opposite of "Deciding"?

Antonyms of "Deciding" include inconclusive, indecisive and unclear. Near antonyms include debatable, disputable, doubtable and doubtful.

How do you use "Deciding" in a sentence?

Examples of "Deciding" in a sentence: "the project's prohibitive cost was the deciding factor in its cancellation"; "they decided to go out for pizza after the movie was over"; "the judge decided that the defendant was not liable for damages".

Is "Deciding" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Deciding" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Deciding"?

"Deciding" is pronounced /di-ˈsī-diŋ/ and divided into syllables as de·cid·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Deciding"?

"Deciding" comes from from present participle of decide. First known use: 1611.