determinative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But voting rights and legal form aren’t determinative for these purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

Going into arguments, the determinative question was whether Gorsuch would apply his reasoning in Bostock to this case.

From Slate • Dec. 4, 2024

The fact that Tran is the son of Vietnamese immigrants and has a Vietnamese surname could help him build name recognition but won’t be determinative, DeSipio said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

Historically, the Iowa caucuses have been interesting, if not determinative, kickoffs for nominating contests, cutting down front-runners and elevating little-known contenders.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024

The resulting ambiguity was resolved by the addition of a silent sign called a determinative, to indicate the category of nouns to which the intended object belonged.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond