deciding factor

noun

: 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.

: 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

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To Look Out For When the third option is the best, financing quickly becomes a deciding factor in whether a renovation is possible. —

Rafi Golberstein, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 Polls in the more politically divided Pennsylvania show a deadlocked matchup, leaving many observers to believe the state, which is twice the size of Maryland and narrowly went for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, could be the deciding factor. —

Sam Janesch, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2024 The races in the swing states are so close that 5,000 votes could sway the outcome, so the third-party effect could be the deciding factor on Tuesday. —

Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024 Their power play unit, converting at a 23.1% rate, could be a deciding factor in this game. —

Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deciding factor

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“Deciding factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deciding%20factor. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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