resolution

[ rez-uh-loo-shuhn ]

noun

1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group. Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.
2. the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.
3. a resolve; a decision or determination:

   to make a firm resolution to do something.

   Her resolution to clear her parents' name allowed her no other focus in life.

4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose:

   She showed her resolution by not attending the meeting.

   Synonyms: fortitude, strength, tenacity, perseverance, determination, resolve

5. the act or process of resolving or separating something into constituent or elementary parts.
6. the resulting state.
7. Optics. the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources of light or between two nearly equal wavelengths. Compare resolving power.
8. a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.
9. Music.
   1. the progression of a voice part or of the harmony as a whole from a dissonance to a consonance.
   2. the tone or chord to which a dissonance is resolved.
10. reduction to a simpler form; conversion.
11. Medicine/Medical. the reduction or disappearance of a swelling or inflammation without suppuration.
12. the degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or the number of pixels across and down on a display screen.

resolution

/ ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of resolving
2. the condition or quality of being resolute; firmness or determination
3. something resolved or determined; decision
4. a formal expression of opinion by a meeting, esp one agreed by a vote
5. a judicial decision on some matter; verdict; judgment
6. the act or process of separating something into its constituent parts or elements
7. med
   1. return from a pathological to a normal condition
   2. subsidence of the symptoms of a disease, esp the disappearance of inflammation without the formation of pus
8. music the process in harmony whereby a dissonant note or chord is followed by a consonant one
9. the ability of a television or film image to reproduce fine detail
10. physics another word for resolving power

Derived Forms

• ˌresoˈlutioner, noun

Other Words From

• nonres·o·lution noun
• preres·o·lution noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of resolution¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin resolūtiōn-, stem of resolūtiō “looseness, a release” equivalent to resolute + -ion

Example Sentences

Department of Justice to initiate a federal court action to seize the emerald following the resolution of criminal prosecutions in Brazil.

From Los Angeles Times

“Wicked” ends with these three words, leaving audiences to wait a year for resolution.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, think an animal-kingdom schoolroom, where the lessons are in teamwork, boldness and conflict resolution.

From Los Angeles Times

But its resolution matches the quotability of the rest of the movie and Tina Fey’s interpretation of “Queen Bees and Wannabees.”

From Salon

"We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust," they say in the judgement.

From BBC

Related Words

• conclusion
• decision
• finding
• motion
• outcome
• proposal
• proposition
• recommendation
• settlement
• solution
• verdict