made a good decision

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made a good decision" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a choice or judgment that has positive outcomes or reflects sound reasoning. Example: "After considering all the options, I believe I made a good decision by choosing to invest in that company."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Breed therefore made a good decision.

The New York Times - Arts

Finally, the reality is that Rose made a good decision.

The New York Times - Sports

You made a good decision in 1997, 1998.

Harvard Business Review

"I still feel like I made a good decision.

The Washington Post

"We feel we made a good decision," he said.

The New York Times

"That's when I knew we'd made a good decision".

The New Yorker

The Mets will now hope that Hairston shows they made a good decision in keeping him.

The New York Times

It is your duty to decide if he made a good decision or bad decision.

Independent

"If he makes the kick, the coach made a good decision.

The New York Times - Sports

By Chinese tiger mother standards, she has failed me; I think she made a good decision.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

South made a good decision by playing low from dummy, and East won with the king.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made a good decision" to reassure someone about their past choices, especially when they might be second-guessing themselves.

Common error

Avoid overusing "made a good decision" when the positive outcome is obvious only after the fact. Acknowledge the uncertainty that existed at the time of the decision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made a good decision" functions as a declarative statement, expressing an opinion or judgment about a past action. It is frequently used to affirm that a choice was beneficial or wise, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Formal & Business

14%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Science

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "made a good decision" is a grammatically correct and common expression used to affirm a past choice. As Ludwig AI also highlights, it is widely applicable across various registers, particularly in news and media, and aims to reassure or validate a decision. When employing this phrase, consider the potential for hindsight bias and focus on the context of the decision at the time. Alternatives such as "made a wise choice" or "made a sound judgment" can offer nuanced expressions of similar ideas.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made a wise choice

Focuses on the wisdom behind the selection.

made a sound judgment

Emphasizes the quality of the decision-making process.

chose wisely

Highlights the act of choosing in a smart manner.

opted for the best course of action

Indicates that the selected decision was the most appropriate.

took the right step

Suggests that the decision was a step in the right direction.

selected advantageously

Highlights the beneficial aspects of the selection.

made a beneficial selection

Focuses on the positive outcome of the selection.

decided favorably

Implies that the decision led to a positive result.

picked the better option

Highlights the superiority of the chosen option.

exercised good judgement

Emphasizes the application of sound reasoning.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "made a good decision"?

You can use alternatives like "made a wise choice", "made a sound judgment", or "chose wisely" depending on the specific context.

How can I use "made a good decision" in a sentence?

The phrase "made a good decision" is generally used to express approval or affirmation of a past choice. For example, "The company "made a good decision" to invest in renewable energy."

Is "made a good decision" formal or informal?

The phrase ""made a good decision"" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness often depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and tone.

What's the difference between "made a good decision" and "made the right decision"?

While very similar, ""made a good decision"" focuses on the quality or wisdom of the choice, while "made the right decision" emphasizes the moral correctness or appropriateness of the choice in a given situation. The phrases are often interchangeable, but not always.