deciding factor

noun

1
: something that causes someone to make a particular decision
The deciding factor was cost.
His lack of experience was the deciding factor in my decision not to hire him.
2
: something that causes something to end a particular way
His home run was the deciding factor in the game.

Examples of deciding factor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But at the end of the day, one person, one lawmaker, one vote, isn’t the deciding factor. Tom Sullivan, The Denver Post, 21 May 2024 The question of who can best steer the U.S. economy could be a deciding factor in who wins November’s presidential election. Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 May 2024 The Gators, however, say the opponent this weekend won’t necessarily be the deciding factor. Rich Scherr, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2024 Will money be the deciding factor in this race, especially for Shreve following his 2023 loss in the Indianapolis mayoral race? Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 7 May 2024 Whatever funding is available is a deciding factor in the kinds of services the city and county can — or cannot — provide to residents, commuters and visitors. Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024 Noise: The noise an air purifier puts out could be a deciding factor in your purchase. Kelsey Kunik, Parents, 15 Feb. 2024 Steve Macias, a Latino voter in Arizona who backed Trump in 2020 but is so far undecided this year, says the candidates' stances and proposals on immigration will be a deciding factor. Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024 The deciding factor will be whether the North Little Rock School Board's weekend proposal goes far enough to address their concerns. arkansasonline.com, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deciding factor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Deciding factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deciding%20factor. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

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