Word of the Day Decisive – Meaning, Usage & IELTS Examples

Improving your IELTS vocabulary with strong adjectives like “decisive” can help you express leadership, personality traits, and quick thinking more effectively. Today’s word, “decisive,” is especially useful in IELTS Speaking and Writing tasks related to leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Meaning of “Decisive”

Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: Having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and firmly; resolute.

Origin and History of the Word

Going back to history in the early 17th century, the word ‘Decisive’ originated from the french word ‘decisif-ive,’ which means having an ability or quality of determining, from medieval Latin word ‘decisivus,’ and the verb’ decidere,’ which means to cut off.

How to Use “Decisive” in IELTS Speaking & Writing?

Mastering different forms of the word decisive can help you describe leadership qualities, action plans, or problem-solving abilities in a more refined way.

1. Adjective: Decisive

Use this form to describe someone who makes decisions quickly or something that brings about a definite result.

Examples:

• The government needs to take decisive action against those who break the law.
• A decisive person will quickly succeed.
• Rose must take decisive steps towards the unity of the society members.
• If you feel it is difficult to come to a conclusion, visit my decisive mother, she will help you out.
• The administration members complimented her for being decisive.

2. Adverb: Decisively

Describes the manner in which someone makes decisions or acts firmly and confidently.

Examples:

• When the accident occurred, my sister acted decisively and rang the ambulance.
• The manager decisively rejected raj’s new project.
• The teacher decisively sorted out the fights among the students.
• The government had decisively differentiated the new rules.
• Without considering her team members’ ideas, the captain decisively opted to stay away from the rivals.

Noun: Decisiveness

Used to describe the quality of making firm decisions quickly and confidently.

Examples:

• All the people in the village admire the decisiveness of the committee member.
• A person with decisiveness will never doubt his judgments.
• The lack of the management’s decisiveness led to the crisis at school.
• With little decisiveness, she accepted Raj’s love.
• You are not supposed to doubt a leader’s decisiveness; he will always think and do what’s better for his team.

IELTS Tip

Use decisive, decisively, and decisiveness in  IELTS Speaking Part 2 when describing a leader or a difficult decision. These forms are also effective in IELTS Writing Task 2 when discussing issues related to leadership, planning, or solutions to problems.

Synonyms for Decisive

• Determined
• Resolute
• Assertive
• Firm
• Strong-minded
• Unwavering

Sample IELTS Speaking Answer using “Decisive”

Q: Describe a leader you admire.
A: I admire the head of my university’s student council. She is extremely decisive and never hesitates to take bold steps. Her decisiveness during emergencies has earned her the respect of both students and faculty members.

Sample IELTS Writing Sentence

In times of crisis, governments must take decisive actions to protect public safety and avoid confusion.

Overall, the word decisive is powerful for expressing leadership, clarity, and strong judgment. Whether you're writing an essay on leadership or describing a role model in the speaking section, using decisive and its related forms will enrich your vocabulary and boost your IELTS Band Score. If you're aiming for top IELTS Band Score, follow the IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ to further enhance your vocabulary and overall test performance.

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