Derision vs decision

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Grammarist

Derision and decision are two words that are sometimes confused. They are very close in spelling and pronunciation, but have different meanings. We will examine the definitions of derision and decision, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Derision means mockery, scorn or ridicule delivered contemptuously. Derision is a noun, the verb forms are deride, derides, derided, deriding. Deride is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. The word derision is derived from the Latin word derisionem, via the Old French word derision.

A decision is a conclusion or resolution come to after some consideration or reflection, as well as the process of coming to a conclusion or resolution after some consideration or reflection. Decision is a noun, the verb forms are decide, decides, decided, deciding. Decide is also a transitive verb. The word decision is derived from the Latin word decisionem, via the Old French word décision.

Examples

Pregnant women in India are being advised to stay away from meat, eggs and lust — drawing derision from health experts who slammed the tips Tuesday as completely unscientific. (The Huffington Post)

Gay writes about eating to become “solid, stronger, safer,” to become less desirable, and while often she’s the target of derision, she is also sexually invisible. (The North Bay Bohemian)

Decision-making mistakes and inefficiencies happen again and again in business, damaging 20% of manager performance, and acting like a boat anchor on about 50% of employee engagement. (Forbes Magazine)

The White House is on the cusp of a major decision about whether to impose new restrictions on steel imports, a choice that has divided President Trump’s administration while sparking global fears about a burgeoning trade war. (The Washington Post)