decision making
3 synonyms for decision making, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The process of considering options and choosing between them, especially as a skill or as a formal step in how an organisation is run.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
judgement
deliberation
How to use decision making
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
evidence-based decision making
decision-making process
shared decision making
decision-making authority
Neutral; very common in business, medicine and policy writing.
Frequently asked questions
Is decision making hyphenated?
Hyphenate it when it modifies a noun: decision-making power, decision-making process. As a noun standing on its own it is usually two open words: good decision making takes practice, though some style guides hyphenate that too.
What is the difference between decision making and problem solving?
Problem solving is working out what could be done about a difficulty, which may produce several possible answers. Decision making is choosing which of those options to act on, and it applies even when there is no problem, such as picking between two good offers.
